An oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material is disclosed herein, for nanocellulose sponges and other applications. The oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material comprises lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils and/or lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals. In various embodiments, the nanocellulose material is in the form of a 2D coating or layer, or a 3D object (e.g., foam or aerogel). The nanocellulose material may be disposed onto a scaffold. A process is provided for producing an oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object, comprising fractionating a biomass feedstock with an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a lignin-containing liquor; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals; generating a nanocellulose object from the intermediate nanocellulose material; exposing the nanocellulose object to the lignin-containing liquor to allow lignin to deposit onto a surface of the nanocellulose object; and recovering the oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object.

An oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material is disclosed herein, for nanocellulose sponges and other applications. The oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material comprises lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils and/or lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals. In various embodiments, the nanocellulose material is in the form of a 2D coating or layer, or a 3D object (e.g., foam or aerogel). The nanocellulose material may be disposed onto a scaffold. A process is provided for producing an oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object, comprising fractionating a biomass feedstock with an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a lignin-containing liquor; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals; generating a nanocellulose object from the intermediate nanocellulose material; exposing the nanocellulose object to the lignin-containing liquor to allow lignin to deposit onto a surface of the nanocellulose object; and recovering the oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object.

Disclosed herein is a process, comprising combining one or more additives with a feedstock to obtain a first mixture, the feedstock comprising a fibrous material and water, the fibrous material comprising lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose; and conditioning the first mixture to obtain a liquid product and a dry pulp product. Also disclosed herein are condition processes and machines for use with the same. Also disclosed herein are liquid products, dry pulp products, and fibrous pellets made by the disclosed processes, and methods of using the same.

Disclosed herein is a process, comprising combining one or more additives with a feedstock to obtain a first mixture, the feedstock comprising a fibrous material and water, the fibrous material comprising lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose; and conditioning the first mixture to obtain a liquid product and a dry pulp product. Also disclosed herein are condition processes and machines for use with the same. Also disclosed herein are liquid products, dry pulp products, and fibrous pellets made by the disclosed processes, and methods of using the same.

Disclosed is a method of obtaining regenerated cellulose fiber by using supercritical-N.sub.2O and/or supercritical-CHF.sub.3 compounds from cotton straw which are formed as thin chips mechanically.

Disclosed is a method of obtaining regenerated cellulose fiber by using supercritical-N.sub.2O and/or supercritical-CHF.sub.3 compounds from cotton straw which are formed as thin chips mechanically.

A low energy production process for producing paper pulp from lignocellulosic biomass, the process comprising the following successive steps: a) extracting lignins and hemicellulose from lignocellulosic biomass by putting at least one solid lignocellulosic raw material in the presence of a mixture, composed only of water and of formic acid, at atmospheric pressure and under controlled conditions of reaction temperature between ambient temperature and the reflux temperature of the mixture at atmospheric pressure, preferably between 80° C. and 100° C., with a weight ratio of the at least one solid lignocellulosic raw material/liquid mixture comprised between 1/1 and 1/15, and for a determined period of time of reaction; and b) separating, at atmospheric pressure and at the reaction temperature, a solid fraction, constituting raw paper pulp, from an organic phase containing in solution at least the starting formic acid and water mixture, solubilized monomeric and polymeric sugars, lignins.

A low energy production process for producing paper pulp from lignocellulosic biomass, the process comprising the following successive steps: a) extracting lignins and hemicellulose from lignocellulosic biomass by putting at least one solid lignocellulosic raw material in the presence of a mixture, composed only of water and of formic acid, at atmospheric pressure and under controlled conditions of reaction temperature between ambient temperature and the reflux temperature of the mixture at atmospheric pressure, preferably between 80° C. and 100° C., with a weight ratio of the at least one solid lignocellulosic raw material/liquid mixture comprised between 1/1 and 1/15, and for a determined period of time of reaction; and b) separating, at atmospheric pressure and at the reaction temperature, a solid fraction, constituting raw paper pulp, from an organic phase containing in solution at least the starting formic acid and water mixture, solubilized monomeric and polymeric sugars, lignins.

A plant and process for performing thermolysis of cellulose uses a thermolysis reactor which comprises a reactor duct having a longitudinal axis, and an eductor at one end of the reactor duct. The eductor has an entry chamber and a venturi-shaped exit channel, a nozzle, a sloping deflector plate above the nozzle, and an inlet port through which particulate material may be fed onto the deflector plate and into the entry chamber. The nozzle and the venturi-shaped exit channel are aligned with the longitudinal axis. A superheater provides superheated steam at a temperature above 450° C. to flow through the nozzle. The particulate matter is entrained in the flowing steam, and undergoes thermolysis. This may be combined with a pre-treatment to hydrolyse hemicellulose, so that lignocellulosic biomass can be processed.

There is provided a process for chemically pretreating reclaimed cellulose fibres to be used in the production of moulded bodies from regenerated cellulose, wherein the pretreatment includes one stage, in which stage acid metal removal and acid oxidative bleaching are carried out together. Advantages include that the propensity of the regenerated cellulose to clog when flowing in a tube and through a nozzle is reduced. This is believed to be an effect of an efficient metal removal. The need for additional bleaching steps and/or metal removing steps is reduced or even eliminated. A one-stage method is more efficient, faster and less costly compared to a multi-stage method according to the prior art. From an environmental perspective, acidic metal removal is preferred over removal by chelating agents such as EDTA.