The present invention provides a pulp product (e.g., paper) comprising cellulose and nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose is derived from the cellulose in a mechanical and/or chemical step that is separate from the main pulping process. The pulping process may be thermomechanical pulping or hydrothermal-mechanical pulping, for example. The pulp product is stronger and smoother with the presence of the nanocellulose. The nanocellulose further can function as a retention aid, for a step of forming the pulp product (e.g., in a paper machine). Other embodiments provide a corrugated medium pulp composition comprising cellulose pulp and nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose includes cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals and the nanocellulose may be hydrophobic. The nanocellulose improves the strength properties of the corrugated medium. In some embodiments, the cellulose pulp is a GreenBox+® pulp and the nanocellulose is derived from the AVAP® process.

The present invention provides a pulp product (e.g., paper) comprising cellulose and nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose is derived from the cellulose in a mechanical and/or chemical step that is separate from the main pulping process. The pulping process may be thermomechanical pulping or hydrothermal-mechanical pulping, for example. The pulp product is stronger and smoother with the presence of the nanocellulose. The nanocellulose further can function as a retention aid, for a step of forming the pulp product (e.g., in a paper machine). Other embodiments provide a corrugated medium pulp composition comprising cellulose pulp and nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose includes cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals and the nanocellulose may be hydrophobic. The nanocellulose improves the strength properties of the corrugated medium. In some embodiments, the cellulose pulp is a GreenBox+® pulp and the nanocellulose is derived from the AVAP® process.

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.

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.

A method of making a market pulp can include separating a slurry comprising a plurality of pulp fibers into at least first and second pulp feeds. The first pulp feed can be refined at least by, for each of one or more mechanical refiners, introducing the first pulp feed between two refining elements of the refiner and rotating at least one of the refining elements, each of the refining elements comprising a plurality of bars and a plurality of grooves, where a width of each of the bars is less than or equal to 1.3 mm and a width of each of the grooves is less than or equal to 2.5 mm. The refiner(s) can consume at least 300 kWh per ton of fiber. The refined first pulp feed and second pulp feed, which is not refined, can be combined to produce a third pulp feed that can be dried.

A method of making a market pulp can include separating a slurry comprising a plurality of pulp fibers into at least first and second pulp feeds. The first pulp feed can be refined at least by, for each of one or more mechanical refiners, introducing the first pulp feed between two refining elements of the refiner and rotating at least one of the refining elements, each of the refining elements comprising a plurality of bars and a plurality of grooves, where a width of each of the bars is less than or equal to 1.3 mm and a width of each of the grooves is less than or equal to 2.5 mm. The refiner(s) can consume at least 300 kWh per ton of fiber. The refined first pulp feed and second pulp feed, which is not refined, can be combined to produce a third pulp feed that can be dried.

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.