Enhanced cellulose nanofibrils (cnf)

Abstract

An enhanced cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) (or enhanced CNF binder), methods of making the enhanced CNF binder, methods of making wet-laid, dry-laid, or molded articles with the enhanced CNF binder by incorporating the enhanced CNF with the furnish in the wet-end of a paper-making process, methods of coating cellulose-based materials, intermediate formed fiber articles, and/or molded articles with the enhanced CNF binder, and cellulose-based articles obtained by all of these methods, wherein the enhanced CNF includes a saccharide fatty acid ester-, glyceride-, fatty acid salt-, natural wax- and/or cellulose crosslinker-(SGF) blend bound to the CNF.

1 . An enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder, comprising:
 cellulose nanofibrils (CNF); and   an SGF blend bound to the CNF,   wherein the SGF blend comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers.   
     
     
         2 . The enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder consists essentially of the CNF and the SGF blend. 
     
     
         3 . The enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the CNF to the SGF blend is 10:90 to 90:10. 
     
     
         4 . The enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the CNF to the SGF blend is 40:60 to 60:40. 
     
     
         5 . The enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder is obtained by:
 obtaining an aqueous mixture of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF);   obtaining an aqueous SGF blend, the aqueous SGF blend comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers; and   mixing the aqueous mixture of CNF with the aqueous SGF blend and allowing the CNF to bind to the SGF blend to obtain the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder.   
     
     
         6 . The enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 5 , further comprising reducing a water content of the CNF mixed with the aqueous SGF blend. 
     
     
         7 . The enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder is obtained by:
 obtaining an aqueous mixture of cellulose pulp;   obtaining an aqueous SGF blend, the aqueous SGF blend comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers;   mixing the mixture of cellulose pulp with the aqueous SGF blend to obtain a cellulose/SGF mixture; and   subjecting the cellulose/SGF mixture to mechanical shear forces to obtain the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A barrier formulation comprising the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A method of making a cellulose-based article, the method comprising:
 adding the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1  to an aqueous papermaking furnish; and   draining the water from the furnish to obtain a fibrous web.   
     
     
         11 . The method of making a cellulose-based article according to  claim 10 , further comprising molding the fibrous web into a molded article having a three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         12 . A method for imparting a barrier property to a cellulose-based material, comprising:
 contacting the cellulose-based material with an aqueous barrier formulation for imparting the barrier property, the barrier formulation comprising the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 ; and   binding the barrier formulation to a surface of the cellulose-based material to obtain a bound cellulose-based material having the barrier property,   wherein the barrier property is one or more selected from the group consisting of water resistance, lipid resistance, and gas resistance.   
     
     
         13 . A barrier formulation, comprising:
 the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 ;   a second SGF blend, the second SGF blend comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, and fatty acid salts; and   water.   
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method for imparting a barrier property to a cellulose-based material, the method comprising:
 contacting the cellulose-based material with a barrier formulation according to  claim 1 ; and   binding the barrier formulation to a surface of the cellulose-based material to obtain a bound cellulose-based material having the barrier property,   wherein the barrier property is one or more selected from the group consisting of water resistance, lipid resistance, and gas resistance.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of making an enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder, the method comprising:
 obtaining an aqueous mixture of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF);   obtaining an aqueous SGF blend, the aqueous SGF blend comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers; and   mixing the aqueous mixture of CNF with the aqueous SGF blend to obtain a CNF/SGF mixture and allowing the CNF to bind to the SGF blend to obtain the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder.   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of making an enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder, the method comprising:
 obtaining an aqueous mixture of cellulose pulp;   obtaining an aqueous SGF blend, the aqueous SGF blend comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers;   mixing the aqueous mixture of cellulose pulp with the aqueous SGF blend to obtain a cellulose/SGF mixture; and   subjecting the cellulose/SGF mixture to mechanical shear forces to obtain the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder.   
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method of making a molded article, the method comprising:
 providing a forming tool having a three-dimensional shape comprising a forming portion, bringing the forming portion into contact with a cellulose composition so that the forming portion is covered with a wet layer of pulp; and dewatering the layer of pulp on the forming tool to achieve the molded article,   wherein the cellulose composition comprises cellulose pulp and the enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A method of making a molded article, the method comprising:
 providing a forming tool having a three-dimensional shape comprising a forming portion, bringing the forming portion into contact with a cellulose composition so that the forming portion is covered with a wet layer of pulp; and dewatering the layer of pulp on the forming tool to achieve the molded article,   wherein the cellulose composition comprises cellulose pulp and the barrier formulation according to  claim 9 .   
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A molded article obtained by the method according to  claim 39 . 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method of making a molded article, the method comprising:
 providing a forming tool having a three-dimensional shape comprising a forming portion, bringing the forming portion into contact with a cellulose-based material so that the forming portion is covered with a wet layer of pulp; dewatering the layer of pulp on the forming tool to obtain an intermediate molded article; and coating a surface of the intermediate molded article with the barrier formulation according to  claim 9  by a process of immersion, spraying, painting, printing, or any combination of any of these processes to achieve the molded article.   
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A molded article obtained by the method according to  claim 43 . 
     
     
         46 . (canceled)