A process is provided for producing a biomass-derived rheology modifier, comprising: providing a pretreated feedstock comprising cellulose-rich solids; refining the cellulose-rich solids in a first high-intensity refining unit, generating refined cellulose solids; gelling the refined cellulose solids in a second high-intensity refining unit, thereby generating gelled cellulose solids; and homogenizing the gelled cellulose solids in a high-shear homogenizer, thereby generating a biomass-derived rheology modifier. The pretreated feedstock may include kraft pulp, sulfite pulp, AVAP® pulp, soda pulp, mechanical pulp, thermomechanical pulp, and/or chemimechanical pulp, derived from wood or lignocellulosic biomass. The pretreated feedstock may be GP3+® pulp, obtained from steam or hot-water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass. These rheology modifiers may be utilized in a wide variety of applications, including water-based or oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations, as gelling agents. These rheology modifiers are biodegradable, and their production does not directly involve chemicals other than biomass and water.

A process is provided for producing a biomass-derived rheology modifier, comprising: providing a pretreated feedstock comprising cellulose-rich solids; refining the cellulose-rich solids in a first high-intensity refining unit, generating refined cellulose solids; gelling the refined cellulose solids in a second high-intensity refining unit, thereby generating gelled cellulose solids; and homogenizing the gelled cellulose solids in a high-shear homogenizer, thereby generating a biomass-derived rheology modifier. The pretreated feedstock may include kraft pulp, sulfite pulp, AVAP® pulp, soda pulp, mechanical pulp, thermomechanical pulp, and/or chemimechanical pulp, derived from wood or lignocellulosic biomass. The pretreated feedstock may be GP3+® pulp, obtained from steam or hot-water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass. These rheology modifiers may be utilized in a wide variety of applications, including water-based or oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations, as gelling agents. These rheology modifiers are biodegradable, and their production does not directly involve chemicals other than biomass and water.

The present invention intends to provide an acid type carboxylated cellulose nanofiber having a high viscosity in a low shear region, or to provide an acid type carboxylated cellulose nanofiber having a very short fiber length, and the acid type carboxylated cellulose nanofiber has a carboxy group at least in part of a constituent unit constituting a cellulose molecular chain, wherein a viscosity of water dispersion with a content from 0.95 to 1.05% by mass is 400 Pa.Math.s or higher at a shear velocity from 0.003 to 0.01 s.sup.−1 at 30° C., or an average fiber length is from 50 to 500 nm and a ratio of fibers having a fiber length of 300 nm or shorter is 50% or higher.

The present invention is directed to plant fiber-reinforced thermoplastic compositions and a method for reinforcing thermoplastic resins. The present invention provides a use for the cellulose portion of a plant material, which is the portion left over after processing the selected plant materials to separate the hemi-cellulose and lignin from the cellulose.

The present invention is directed to plant fiber-reinforced thermoplastic compositions and a method for reinforcing thermoplastic resins. The present invention provides a use for the cellulose portion of a plant material, which is the portion left over after processing the selected plant materials to separate the hemi-cellulose and lignin from the cellulose.

Naturally-occurring cellulose-based material, such as wood, bamboo, grass, or reed, can be subjected to one or more chemical treatments to remove at least some lignin therefrom. The resulting partially-delignified material can be partially dried or fully dried and then rehydrated to yield a moldable cellulose-based material. The moldable material can be formed from a substantially flat planar configuration into a non-planar three-dimensional configuration. Once formed into a desired configuration, the moldable material can be fully dried to set its shape, thereby forming a rigid molded piece. In some embodiments, the molded piece can be used as a structural material, for example, to form a load-bearing structure or part of a composite load-bearing structure.

Naturally-occurring cellulose-based material, such as wood, bamboo, grass, or reed, can be subjected to one or more chemical treatments to remove at least some lignin therefrom. The resulting partially-delignified material can be partially dried or fully dried and then rehydrated to yield a moldable cellulose-based material. The moldable material can be formed from a substantially flat planar configuration into a non-planar three-dimensional configuration. Once formed into a desired configuration, the moldable material can be fully dried to set its shape, thereby forming a rigid molded piece. In some embodiments, the molded piece can be used as a structural material, for example, to form a load-bearing structure or part of a composite load-bearing structure.

A hardwood-derived carbohydrate composition is disclosed. The hardwood-derived carbohydrate composition comprises monomeric sugars in an amount of 50-80 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the carbohydrate composition, wherein the monomeric sugars include monomeric glucose and monomeric xylose, the amount of monomeric xylose in the carbohydrate composition being 40-60 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the carbohydrate composition, and the weight ratio of monomeric glucose to monomeric xylose being 0.067-0.2. Disclosed is also a method for producing a wood-derived carbohydrate composition.

The invention relates to a method for producing cationized cellulose. The method comprises at least preparing a slurry of a cellulosic starting material in an alkaline liquid medium which comprises an organic liquid and performing mercerization of the slurry. The concentration of the cellulosic starting material in the slurry is at least 20 weight-%, calculated as dry from total weight of the liquid medium and the cellulosic starting material. A cationizing agent is added to the slurry after the mercerization step at a cationization temperature, which is less than the boiling point of the alkaline liquid medium, and the cellulose in the slurry is allowed to react with the cationizing agent, preferably under inert atmosphere and a cationized cellulose product is obtained.

A spray dried non-hydrogen bonded (NHB) nano-fibrillated cellulose (NFC) composition and methods for preparing such composition are disclosed. The spray dried NFC with a NHB effect results in low packing density.