Modified fiber, methods, and systems
Methods of forming crosslinked cellulose include mixing a crosslinking agent with an aqueous mixture of cellulose fibers containing little to no excess water (e.g., solids content of 25-55%), drying the resulting mixture to 85-100% solids, then curing the dried mixture to crosslink the cellulose fibers. Systems include a mixing unit to form, from an aqueous mixture of unbonded cellulose fibers having a solids content of about 25-55% and a crosslinking agent, a substantially homogenous mixture of non-crosslinked, unbonded cellulose fibers and crosslinking agent; a drying unit to dry the substantially homogenous mixture to a consistency of 85-100%; and a curing unit and to cure the crosslinking agent to form dried and cured crosslinked cellulose fibers. Intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers produced by such methods and/or systems have a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an AFAQ capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
1. A crosslinked cellulose product comprising individual intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers having a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an automatic fiber absorption quality (“AFAQ”) capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
2. The crosslinked cellulose product of claim 1 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers include softwood cellulose pulp fibers.
3. The crosslinked cellulose product of claim 1 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are treated cellulose pulp fibers.
4. The crosslinked cellulose product of claim 1 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are hardwood cellulose pulp fibers.
5. The crosslinked cellulose product of claim 4 , wherein the hardwood cellulose pulp fibers are eucalyptus pulp fibers.
6. The crosslinked cellulose product of claim 1 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are intrafiber crosslinked with one or more of a polyacrylic acid and a polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent.
7. The crosslinked cellulose product of claim 1 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers have an AFAQ capacity of at least 16.0 g/g.
8. A cellulose mat comprising intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers having a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an automatic fiber absorption quality (“AFAQ”) capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
9. The cellulose mat of claim 8 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers include softwood cellulose pulp fibers.
10. The cellulose mat of claim 8 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are treated cellulose pulp fibers.
11. The cellulose mat of claim 8 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are hardwood cellulose pulp fibers.
12. The cellulose mat of claim 11 , wherein the hardwood cellulose pulp fibers are eucalyptus pulp fibers.
13. The cellulose mat of claim 8 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are intrafiber crosslinked with one or more of a polyacrylic acid and a polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent.
14. The cellulose mat of claim 8 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers have an AFAQ capacity of at least 16.0 g/g.
15. A cellulose pad comprising intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers having a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an automatic fiber absorption quality (“AFAQ”) capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
16. The cellulose pad of claim 15 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers include softwood cellulose pulp fibers.
17. The cellulose pad of claim 15 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are treated cellulose pulp fibers.
18. The cellulose pad of claim 15 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are hardwood cellulose pulp fibers.
19. The cellulose pad of claim 18 , wherein the hardwood cellulose pulp fibers are eucalyptus pulp fibers.
20. The cellulose pad of claim 15 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are intrafiber crosslinked with one or more of a polyacrylic acid and a polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent.
21. The cellulose pad of claim 15 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers have an AFAQ capacity of at least 16.0 g/g.
22. A cellulose sheet comprising intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers having a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an automatic fiber absorption quality (“AFAQ”) capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
23. The cellulose sheet of claim 22 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers include softwood cellulose pulp fibers.
24. The cellulose sheet of claim 22 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are treated cellulose pulp fibers.
25. The cellulose sheet of claim 22 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are hardwood cellulose pulp fibers.
26. The cellulose sheet of claim 25 , wherein the hardwood cellulose pulp fibers are eucalyptus pulp fibers.
27. The cellulose sheet of claim 22 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are intrafiber crosslinked with one or more of a polyacrylic acid and a polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent.
28. The cellulose sheet of claim 22 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers have an AFAQ capacity of at least 16.0 g/g.
29. A cellulose web comprising intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers having a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an automatic fiber absorption quality (“AFAQ”) capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
30. The cellulose web of claim 29 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers include softwood cellulose pulp fibers.
31. The cellulose web of claim 29 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are treated cellulose pulp fibers.
32. The cellulose web of claim 29 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are hardwood cellulose pulp fibers.
33. The cellulose web of claim 32 , wherein the hardwood cellulose pulp fibers are eucalyptus pulp fibers.
34. The cellulose web of claim 29 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are intrafiber crosslinked with a one or more of a polyacrylic acid and a polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent.
35. The cellulose web of claim 29 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers have an AFAQ capacity of at least 16.0 g/g.
36. A cellulose composition comprising intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers having a chemical on pulp level of about 2-14% and an automatic fiber absorption quality (“AFAQ”) capacity of at least 12.0 g/g.
37. The cellulose composition of claim 36 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers include softwood cellulose pulp fibers.
38. The cellulose composition of claim 36 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are treated cellulose pulp fibers.
39. The cellulose composition of claim 36 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are hardwood cellulose pulp fibers.
40. The cellulose composition of claim 39 , wherein the hardwood cellulose pulp fibers are eucalyptus pulp fibers.
41. The cellulose composition of claim 36 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers are intrafiber crosslinked with one or more of a polyacrylic acid and a polycarboxylic acid crosslinking agent.
42. The cellulose composition of claim 36 , wherein the intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers have an AFAQ capacity of at least 16.0 g/g.