METHOD OF PRODUCING HYDROGEL OF NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC C08B15/00 B82B1/00 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to chemical treatment of cellulose-containing material, particularly methods of producing hydrogel of nanocrystalline cellulose and can be used in producing polyfunctional composite materials, rheology modifiers in drilling mud and cement mortar, biodegradable polymer materials, thickeners, viscosity regulators, paint and emulsion stabilisers, in pharmaceutical, medical, food, perfume and other industries. The method involves depolymerisation of starting material by treatment via acid hydrolysis at high temperature with simultaneous mechanical dispersion in an aqueous medium, removing residual acid and subsequent mechanical treatment with high shearing force to form a hydrogel of linear particles of nanocrystalline cellulose (whiskers). Before acid hydrolysis, a cellulose-containing component based on non-bleached or bleached pulp is brought to moisture content of 20-85% and subjected to radiation decomposition with a dose of ionising radiation of 3-17 Mrad. Acid hydrolysis is carried out with the following ratio of components, wt %: raw material 5-10, acid 2-20, water - the balance, to liquid modulus of 5-30 (m³/t).

EFFECT: invention enables to obtain hydrogel of nanocrystalline cellulose in form of one-dimensional nanostructures (whiskers) with length of 700-900 nm and width of 60-80 nm; an end product with low technological expenses.

6 cl, 1 dwg, 1 ex