Process for the production of a composition comprising fibrillated cellulose and a composition
The present invention relates to a process for the production of a composition wherein the process comprises pre-treating cellulosic fibers by mechanical, chemical and/or enzymatic treatment, mixing the pre-treated cellulosic fibers with pigments forming a dispersion and dispersing the dispersion of pre-treated cellulosic fibers and pigments whereby a composition comprising microfibrillated cellulose is formed. The invention further relates to a composition produced according to the process.
1. A process for the production of a composition wherein the process comprises the steps of:
pre-treating cellulosic fibers by mechanical, chemical and/or enzymatic treatment,
mixing the pre-treated cellulosic fibers with a pigment forming a dispersion,
dispersing the dispersion of pre-treated cellulosic fibers and pigments to form a composition comprising microfibrillated cellulose wherein the microfibrillated cellulose is formed by the dispersing.
2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the consistency of the pre-treated fibers is between 1-50% by weight.
3. The process according to claim 1 wherein the consistency of the composition is between 10-70% by weight.
4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the temperature during the dispersing is increased to a temperature above 70° C.
5. The process according to claim 1 wherein the dispersing is done in a conventional dispersing or mixing equipment.
6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the pre-treated fibers are cellulose derivates.
7. The process according to claim 6 wherein the cellulose derivates is carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and has a low degree of substitution.
8. The process according to claim 7 wherein the low degree of substitution is below 0.4.
9. The process according to claim 6 wherein the cellulose derivates comprise hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) or ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (EHEC).
10. The process according to claim 1 wherein the temperature is increased during the dispersing.
11. The process according to claim 10 wherein the temperature is increased by heating.
12. The process according to claim 1 wherein mixing the pre-treated cellulosic fibers with the pigment forming the dispersion further comprises mixing mono-saccharides, di-saccharides, or oligo-saccharides with the pre-treated cellulosic fibers, and the pigment.
13. The process according to claim 12 wherein the mono-saccharides, di-saccharides, or oligo-saccharides are formed by enzymatic treatment.
14. The process according to claim 12 wherein the mono-saccharides, di-saccharides, or oligo-saccharides comprise sugars, cellodextrins, or both.
15. The process according to claim 12 wherein the mono-saccharides, di-saccharides, or oligo-saccharides comprise glucose, xylane, mannose, mannin, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetrose, cellopentose, celloheose, cello-oligosaccharide, or combinations thereof.