Bimodal cellulose composition
A method of producing from cellulose pith a composition having bimodal distribution of its components. The composition can be used to modify rheological properties of compositions of matter and for making articles of manufacture and nanocomposites.
1. A process for preparing a composition comprising:
A nanofibrillar parenchymal cellulose; and
B cellulose fibers;
wherein both A and B are obtained from cellulose pith, the process comprising:
a. providing or isolating cellulose pith from cellulose pith material;
b. treating the cellulose pith with an alkali; and
c. fibrillating the alkali treated cellulose pith.
2. The process of claim 1 comprising a fractionating step between steps a. and b., or between the steps b. and c., to recover a parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of parenchymal cells and cellulose fibers.
3. The process of claim 2 wherein the fractionating step is by dry fractioning or wet fractioning.
4. The process of claim 1 comprising a fractionating step after step c to recover the nanofibrillar parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of A and B fractions.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.
7. The process of claim 2 comprising a fractionating step after step c to recover the nanofibrillar parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of A and B fractions.
8. The process of claim 3 comprising a fractionating step after step c to recover the nanofibrillar parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of A and B fractions.
9. The process of claim 2 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.
10. The process of claim 3 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.
11. The process of claim 4 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.
12. The process of claim 2 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.
13. The process of claim 3 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.
14. The process of claim 4 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.
15. The process of claim 5 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.