Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a reduced crystallinity cellulose comprising mixing cellulose with a fluid and a proppant; partially solvating the cellulose with the fluid to form a partially solvated cellulose; mixing the partially solvated cellulose with a supercritical fluid under conditions effective to maintain the supercritical fluid in a supercritical state; where the supercritical fluid is immiscible with the fluid; and changing the pressure so that the supercritical fluid is no longer in the supercritical state.

Abstract: A method for combining materials (such as impregnating materials with functional materials) uses a combination of supercritical fluid technology and polymer melt processing technology. The functional material is soluble in a near supercritical or supercritical fluid, which dissolves in the matrix/bulk material during melt processing. Controlling the processing conditions facilitates a change of state for the fluid, which results in the precipitation of the functional material in the bulk material. The impregnated bulk material may be shaped using conventional polymer based processing techniques such as extrusion and injection moulding.