A process for pretreating reclaimed cotton fibers to be used in the production of molded bodies from regenerated cellulose characterized by effective metal redaction and adjustment of the degree of polymerization and brightness, including a metal removing stage and an oxidative bleaching stage of the reclaimed cotton fibers or pulp produced thereof. Reclaimed cotton fibers treated according to the described process may be used alone or in blends with conventional dissolving pulp as raw material for the production of molded bodies from regenerated cellulose. The process enables technically smooth, safe, and economically feasible spinning via the Viscose or Lyocell process, therefore, the current invention provides an efficient recycling pathway for cotton waste materials.

An excess heat recovery apparatus and process for high temperature chlorine dioxide bleaching of pulp is provided. The pulp of the high temperature chlorine dioxide bleaching stage enters a tube-side of a chlorine dioxide preheater through a pipeline. The low-temperature chlorine dioxide in the storage tank enters a shell-side pipeline of the chlorine dioxide preheater. 0.5 mol/L of a stabilizer may be added during preheating to prevent ClO.sub.2 from decomposing during the heating process. Preheated chlorine dioxide is then moved into a pulp mixer and the pH is adjusted to 3.2-3.8. The mixed pulp is then moved into a high temperature chlorine dioxide bleaching tower for bleaching. The cooling pulp, now out of the preheater, is washed in an alkaline extraction stage. The waste water from the washing flows directly into an effluent treatment system and is recycled after treatment.

An excess heat recovery apparatus and process for high temperature chlorine dioxide bleaching of pulp is provided. The pulp of the high temperature chlorine dioxide bleaching stage enters a tube-side of a chlorine dioxide preheater through a pipeline. The low-temperature chlorine dioxide in the storage tank enters a shell-side pipeline of the chlorine dioxide preheater. 0.5 mol/L of a stabilizer may be added during preheating to prevent ClO.sub.2 from decomposing during the heating process. Preheated chlorine dioxide is then moved into a pulp mixer and the pH is adjusted to 3.2-3.8. The mixed pulp is then moved into a high temperature chlorine dioxide bleaching tower for bleaching. The cooling pulp, now out of the preheater, is washed in an alkaline extraction stage. The waste water from the washing flows directly into an effluent treatment system and is recycled after treatment.

A process for bleaching trichome fibers individualized from a trichome source, such as a leaf and/or a stem, is disclosed. The process of bleaching degrades trichome associated protein. Further, the bleaching processes improves the color of the trichomes, exhibiting CIELAB Color values of L* greater than 87 and b* less than 17 and with less than 0.1% protein by weight of molecular weight greater than 3,500 daltons.

A process for bleaching trichome fibers individualized from a trichome source, such as a leaf and/or a stem, is disclosed. The process of bleaching degrades trichome associated protein. Further, the bleaching processes improves the color of the trichomes, exhibiting CIELAB Color values of L* greater than 87 and b* less than 17 and with less than 0.1% protein by weight of molecular weight greater than 3,500 daltons.

A method is disclosed that includes washing corn husks with an acid wash to degrade at least a portion of a non-cellulosic material present in the corn husks and from pulped corn husks, wherein the non-cellulosic material comprises lignan. The method further comprises forming a slurry, wherein the slurry comprises pulped corn husks; forming the slurry into a sheet; removing a volume of liquid from the sheet; and calendaring the sheet. The method further comprises coating the sheet and cutting the sheet into a plurality of sheets.

The present invention is directed to a process for producing spinnable cellulose at least in part from citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons. In a preferred embodiment, cellulose is extracted from citrus fruits, discarded by the citrus fruits plantations and/or from parts of citrus fruits, waste of the industrial processing of citrus fruits derivatives. Cellulose is extracted from the entire peel of citrus fruits, which includes both albedo and flavedo, or only from albedo. Preferably, cellulose is obtained by chemical extraction, preferably in the absence of chlorine, comprising the treatment of raw materials derived from citrus fruits with hydrogen peroxide under basic conditions. Cellulose obtained by the process of the present invention is optionally mixed with cellulose obtained by different processes, for example with cellulose extracted from wood.

Bleaching methods and formulations for bleaching/delignification processes for chemical pulp are provided. The bleaching methods utilize peroxide and an organomanganese complex under aqueous caustic conditions, increasing bleaching efficiency of the overall bleaching/delignification process. Chemical pulp having increased brightness can be obtained at decreased temperatures and with reduced stage time, resulting in reduced chemical consumption and improved energy efficiency.

Disclosed are keratin fibre cellular components, specifically keratin fibre cuticle and cortical cells, and their use as absorption and filtration media, and in thermal insulation materials. The keratin fibre cellular components may be oxidised. The keratin fibre cellular components have improved absorbency and filtration capacity compared to the source keratin fibres. The keratin fibre cellular components may be used in, for example, various products for passive absorption and active filtration of gas or liquid media.

In some embodiments, a method may include treating pulp in pulp and paper mills. The methods may include providing a peracetate oxidant solution and generating a reactive oxygen species. The peracetate solution may include peracetate anions and a peracid. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution may include a pH from about pH 10 to about pH 12. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid ranging from about 60:1 to about 6000:1. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate to hydrogen peroxide of greater than about 16:1. The peracetate oxidant solution may provide enhanced treatment methods of bleaching, brightening, and delignifying pulp fibers involving the use of peracetate oxidant solutions.