There is provided a method for producing hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose phthalate (HPMCP), including an esterification step of reacting hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose with a carboxybenzoylating agent in the presence of an aliphatic carboxylic acid in a kneader reactor equipped with two or more stirring blades rotating around their own axes and orbitally revolving, to obtain a reaction product solution containing HPMCP; a precipitation step of precipitating the HPMCP by mixing the reaction product solution with water to obtain a suspension of the precipitated HPMCP; and a washing and recovery step of washing the HPMCP in the suspension and recovering the washed HPMCP. Further, there is provided HPMCP having yellowness at 20° C. of 10.0 or less, as determined in a 10% by mass solution of the HPMCP in acetone.

Provided is a method for producing HPMCP capable of reducing the average particle size of HPMCP particles to an intended range without a pulverization step. Specifically provided is a method for producing hypromellose phthalate, comprising an esterification step of reacting hypromellose with an esterification agent in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction solution containing crude hypromellose phthalate, a precipitation step of mixing the reaction solution with water to precipitate the crude hypromellose phthalate, thereby obtaining a hypromellose phthalate suspension, a liquid removal step of removing a liquid from the hypromellose phthalate suspension with a centrifugal decanter to obtain liquid-removed hypromellose phthalate, and a drying step of drying the liquid-removed hypromellose phthalate.

Provided is a method for producing HPMCP capable of reducing the average particle size of HPMCP particles to an intended range without a pulverization step. Specifically provided is a method for producing hypromellose phthalate, comprising an esterification step of reacting hypromellose with an esterification agent in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction solution containing crude hypromellose phthalate, a precipitation step of mixing the reaction solution with water to precipitate the crude hypromellose phthalate, thereby obtaining a hypromellose phthalate suspension, a liquid removal step of removing a liquid from the hypromellose phthalate suspension with a centrifugal decanter to obtain liquid-removed hypromellose phthalate, and a drying step of drying the liquid-removed hypromellose phthalate.

A fibrous cellulose having an excellent resin reinforcing effect, a method for manufacturing the fibrous cellulose, and a resin composition having high strength. The fibrous cellulose is microfiber cellulose having an average fiber diameter of 1 m or more, and is hydrophobically modified. The method for manufacturing fibrous cellulose includes defibrating raw material fiber to obtain microfiber cellulose with an average fiber diameter of 1 m or more, and hydrophobically modifying the microfiber cellulose. Further, the resin composition contains the fibrous cellulose and resin.

A fibrous cellulose having an excellent resin reinforcing effect, a method for manufacturing the fibrous cellulose, and a resin composition having high strength. The fibrous cellulose is microfiber cellulose having an average fiber diameter of 1 m or more, and is hydrophobically modified. The method for manufacturing fibrous cellulose includes defibrating raw material fiber to obtain microfiber cellulose with an average fiber diameter of 1 m or more, and hydrophobically modifying the microfiber cellulose. Further, the resin composition contains the fibrous cellulose and resin.

The present invention provides a method of producing a polymer hydrogel comprising the steps of: (1) preparing an aqueous solution of a water soluble polysaccharide derivative and a polycarboxylic acid; (2) optionally agitating the solution, for example, by stirring; (3) isolating a polysaccharide derivative/polycarboxylic acid composite from the solution; and (4) heating the polysaccharide derivative/polycarboxylic acid composite at a temperature of at least about 80 C., thereby cross-linking the polysaccharide with the polycarboxylic acid. The invention also provides polymer hydrogels produced by the methods of the invention.

The present invention provides a method of producing a polymer hydrogel comprising the steps of: (1) preparing an aqueous solution of a water soluble polysaccharide derivative and a polycarboxylic acid; (2) optionally agitating the solution, for example, by stirring; (3) isolating a polysaccharide derivative/polycarboxylic acid composite from the solution; and (4) heating the polysaccharide derivative/polycarboxylic acid composite at a temperature of at least about 80 C., thereby cross-linking the polysaccharide with the polycarboxylic acid. The invention also provides polymer hydrogels produced by the methods of the invention.

Provided is a nonaqueous binder for electrodes or separators, which is used in a lithium ion battery that has excellent cycle life characteristics at high temperatures. A nonaqueous binder for electrodes or separators of lithium ion batteries, which is obtained by complexing cellulose nanofibers and a thermoplastic fluororesin, and which is characterized in that the cellulose nanofibers have a fiber size (diameter) of from 0.002 m to 1 m (inclusive), a fiber length of from 0.5 m to 10 mm (inclusive), and an aspect ratio ((fiber length of cellulose nanofibers)/(fiber diameter of cellulose nanofibers)) of from 2 to 100,000 (inclusive).

The present invention describes tunable methods of treating cellulosic materials with a composition that provides increased hydrophobicity and/or lipophobicity to such materials without sacrificing the biodegradability thereof. The methods as disclosed provide for binding of saccharide fatty acid esters on cellulosic materials, including that the disclosure provides products made by such methods. The materials thus treated display higher hydrophobicity, lipophobicity, barrier function, and mechanical properties, and may be used in any application where such features are desired.

The present invention describes tunable methods of treating cellulosic materials with a composition that provides increased hydrophobicity and/or lipophobicity to such materials without sacrificing the biodegradability thereof. The methods as disclosed provide for binding of saccharide fatty acid esters on cellulosic materials, including that the disclosure provides products made by such methods. The materials thus treated display higher hydrophobicity, lipophobicity, barrier function, and mechanical properties, and may be used in any application where such features are desired.