Method for producing functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose and functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose thereby produced

Abstract

A method for producing functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose, the method comprising the steps of providing cellulose, mixing said cellulose with a peroxide, thereby producing a reaction mixture, and heating the reaction mixture, and/or exposing the reaction mixture to UV radiation is provided. Functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose produced by this method is also provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . Functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose wherein said functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose is carboxylated nanocrystalline cellulose or a nanocrystalline cellulose carboxylate salt, wherein said functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose is the form of nanocrystals that are between about 2 nm to about 20 nm in width and between about 80 nm and about 250 nm in length, and wherein said functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose is essentially free of surface sulfate groups. 
     
     
         50 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 49 , wherein the functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose is the nanocrystalline cellulose carboxylate salt. 
     
     
         51 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 50 , wherein the nanocrystalline cellulose carboxylate salt is nanocrystalline cellulose alkali metal carboxylate. 
     
     
         52 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 51 , wherein the nanocrystalline cellulose carboxylate alkali metal salt is nanocrystalline cellulose sodium carboxylate. 
     
     
         53 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 49  having a negative surface charge. 
     
     
         54 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 49 , wherein the cellulose nanocrystals are between about 5 nm to about 10 nm in width and between about 100 nm and about 150 nm in length. 
     
     
         55 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 49  being in dried powder form. 
     
     
         56 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 49 , wherein the nanocrystals are aggregated together into particles. 
     
     
         57 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 49 , wherein the nanocrystals are aggregated together into spherical particles. 
     
     
         58 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of claim  1 , wherein the functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose is nanocrystalline cellulose carboxylate salt and is modified with a cationic polyelectrolyte so as to have a positive surface charge. 
     
     
         59 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 58 , wherein the cationic polyelectrolyte is a polyquaternium, poly(ethyleneimine), pol-L-lysine, a poly(amidoamine), or a poly(amino-co-ester). 
     
     
         60 . The functionalized nanocrystalline cellulose of  claim 59 , wherein the cationic polyelectrolyte is a polyquaternium.