Reactive extrusion of cellulose fibres as a feasible
way to process value added products
Nikita Polikarpov Brüssel, 17.11.2015
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Sustainable development in paper industry
Paper industry is looking for
• new markets
• new products
• new approaches
Is it possible to imagine…
• Cellulose as a source for bioplastics?
• Cellulose fibres as reinforcement in composites?
• Cellulose fibre as thermoplastic?
Yes, but there are some issues…
• Cellulose esters (bioplastic) are costly.
• Poor interactions between hydrophilic cellulose fibres and hydrophobic thermoplastics.
• Cellulose decomposes below its glass-transition temperature.
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PTS Platform Technology Reactive Extrusion
New New
approach markets /
products
Surface modified pulp fibres
Pulp (hydrophobic, thermoplastic)
• Thermoplastic paper
based products
Surface modified • Reinforcement in
microfibrillated cellulose composites / Light
weight construction
• Masterbatches
• Injection moulding
Various monomers and
reactive compounds
Amorphous cellulose derivatives
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Twin Screw Extruder
Conveying Kneading Tooth-mixing
element element element
Modular design for screw elements and kneading blocks
Source: Coperion
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EXAMPLE 1
CELLULOSE ACETYLATION
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Cellulose Acetate
Dominant thermoplastic cellulose based product is cellulose acetate (~80,000 t/p.a.)
• Properties depend on substitution degree DS and polymerisation degree DP
DS Application
1.8–1.9 Composite fabrics
2.2–2.3 Lacquers, plastics
2.3–2.4 Acetate rayon
2.5–2.6 Safety films
2.8–2.9 Insulation foils
2.9–3.0 Fabrics
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Esterification in Extruder
Pulp +
acetic acid
ZSK 26 Mc
< 1 min reaction time
(compare with 1h
in batch reactor)
Cellulose
acetate
Acetic anhydride +
catalyst
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FTIR – Results of Acetylation
normalisation to band at 1431 cm-1
DS ~3.0
DS 2.4
(commercial product)
DS ~2.2
DS ~0.9
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Pulp Acetylation in Extruder
NBSK pulp Acetylated pulp, DS 0.9–1.6 Cellulose acetate, DS ~3.0
L(I) c ~ 0.2-0.5 mm L(I) c < 0.05 mm
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Producing Cellulose Triacetate in Extruder
Solvent casting of CTA films
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Producing Acetylated Pulp in Extruder
Hand sheet from acetylated pulp and its thermoplastic properties
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Hand Sheets – Hot Pressing
Cross-sectional SEM image of SEM image of thermoplastic paper upon hot
thermoplastic paper before hot pressing pressing. Fibre network structure of the non-heated
area (top left) is observable
Cross-sectional SEM image of
thermoplastic paper upon hot pressing
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EXAMPLE 2
FIBRE BASED MASTERBATCHES
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Fibre-Polymer Masterbatches in Extruder
Pulp
ZSK 26 Mc
1-2 min
reaction time
Fibre-Polymer
Masterbatches
Various reactive
modifiers/monomers
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Fibre-Polymer Masterbatches in Extruder
H n
H n
O O
O
O O
kat. O O
+ O ∆ + PCL
O
O
O
H n
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Fibre-Polymer Masterbatches for Thermoplastic Paper
Before hot pressing Upon hot pressing
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Contact Angle Measurements
Water drop on a NBSK + PTS-Masterbatch Water drop on a NBSK + PTS-Masterbatch
hand sheet, before hot pressing hand sheet, upon hot pressing
0.0 s 0.0 s
~56° ~85°
0.5 s 0.5 s
~17° ~65°
1.0 s
~60°
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Conclusions
• Reactive extrusion of cellulose fibres is a feasible way to produce cellulose derivatives, fibres
and microfibrillated cellulose with added-value properties
• Example 1. Cellulose acetylation
• Reaction time < 1 min
• Both homogeneous and heterogeneous acetylation was achieved by reactive extrusion
• Various typical for cellulose acetate properties were demonstrated
• Example 2. Fibre-Polymer-Masterbatches
• Potential application as paper additive (thermoplastic and barrier properties)
• Potential application as composite additive (as reinforcement)
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Contact
Papiertechnische Stiftung, IZP Papiertechnische Stiftung, IZP
Dr. Nikita Polikarpov [Link]. Tiemo Arndt
Pirnaer Str. 37 Pirnaer Str. 37
01809 Heidenau 01809 Heidenau
Telefon: 03529-551-640 Telefon: 03529-551-643
[Link]@[Link] [Link]@[Link]
[Link] [Link]
17.11.2015
