IP Library Granted Patent US 12,006,421
Granted Patent B2
US 12,006,421 · App. 16/926,263 · Granted Jun 11, 2024

Cellulose-based composites and methods of making the same

Inventors: Peter N. Ciesielski (Arvada, CO); Ruoran Zhang (Lakewood, CO); Michael E. Himmel (Littleton, CO); Andrew Nolan Wilson (Denver, CO); Mark R. Nimlos (Golden, CO)
Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
C08L1/02C08K5/098C08K5/19C08L2203/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,006,421
App. No.
16/926,263
Granted
Jun 11, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are a cellulose particle and a binder, where the cellulose particle has a cellulose core and a surface group, and the binder interacts with the surface group to form a composite.

Claims (21)

1. A composition lacking polylactic acid and comprising a cellulose particle and a binder, wherein:

the cellulose particle comprises a cellulose core and a surface group, and

the binder interacts with the surface group to form a composite.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cellulose core comprises at least one of a cellulose crystal or a cellulose fibril.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the cellulose crystal has a characteristic length between about 100 nm and 1000 nm.

4. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the cellulose fibril has a characteristic length between about 1 μm and 100 μm.

5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the cellulose fibril has a characteristic width between about 3 nm and 500 nm.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the surface group is positively charged, negatively charged, neutral, or a combination thereof.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the surface group is positively charged and comprises at least one of an ammonium group, a trimethyl ammonium group, a triethyl ammonium group, or a carbocation.

8. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the surface group is negatively charged and comprises at least one of a carboxylate group, a nitrate group, a sulfate group, a phosphate group, or a silicate group.

9. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the surface group is neutral and comprises at least one of a carboxyl group, a methoxy group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a phenyl group, a carbonyl group, an aldehyde group, an azide group, an isonitrile group, or a halogen group.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composite is in the form of at least one of a film, a gel, a foam, or a bulk composite.

11. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the composition is a film having a thickness between 100 nm and 2 mm.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises a sugar.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the binder is derived from pyrolysis of biomass.

14. The composition of claim 13 , wherein the binder is isolated from an aqueous phase of an aqueous extraction of a bio-oil derived from the pyrolysis of biomass.

15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises cyclopentenone.

16. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the binder is derived from pyrolysis of biomass.

17. The composition of claim 16 , wherein the binder is isolated from an aqueous phase of an aqueous extraction of a bio-oil derived from the pyrolysis of biomass.

18. A composition comprising a cellulose particle and a binder, wherein:

the cellulose particle comprises a cellulose core and a surface group wherein the surface group is positively charged, negatively charged, neutral or a combination thereof and wherein a neutral surface group comprises at least one of a carboxyl group, a methoxy group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a phenyl group, a carbonyl group, an aldehyde group, an azide group, an isonitrile group, or a halogen group, and wherein the binder interacts with the surface group to form a composite.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: ALLIANCE FOR ENERGY INNOVATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 073993/0276 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jan 11, 2021
From: NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 054876/0538 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2020
From: CIESIELSKI, PETER N.; ZHANG, RUORAN; HIMMEL, MICHAEL E.; WILSON, ANDREW NOLAN; NIMLOS, MARK R.
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 053187/0836 →