Abstract: A thin separator for electrochemical elements, which has achieved chemical stability, while maintaining a good balance among short-circuit resistance, resistivity, electrolyte solution impregnability and electrolyte solution retainability of the separator. A separator for electrochemical elements, which is interposed between a pair of electrodes so as to separate the electrodes from each other, and which holds an electrolyte solution. This separator for electrochemical elements is composed of beaten cellulose fibers and thermoplastic synthetic fibers, and has a thickness of 5.0-30.0 ?m and a density of 0.50-0.75 g/cm3; and the thickness X (?m) and the air resistance Y (second/100 ml) of this separator for electrochemical elements satisfy formula 1: Y?0.01X2?0.6X+11.5.

Abstract: Articles are prepared from paper containing different types of fibers. In a granulation step, bagasse is pulverized to produce a sugar cane pulp powder of granules. In a pulping process, pulp is produced from Manila hemp. In a mixing step, sugar cane pulp powder, and the pulp produced in preceding steps, are mixed. In the papermaking process, Japanese washi paper is produced by using a mixture of pulp powder and pulp. In a slitting process, the produced Japanese washi paper is slit. In a twisting process, the slit Japanese washi paper yarn is twisted to produce a paper yarn.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing pulp using corn stalks may include cutting the corn stalks into pieces having a length of 10 to 60 mm, separating and discharging the cut corn stalks into rind and pith using a separation unit while crushing the cut corn stalks, pretreating the corn stalks by filtering the rind and pith of the corn stalks and flakes of the rind, removing a portion of hemicellulose of the rind, and cooking the rind from which the portion of hemicellulose has been removed, using caustic soda and sodium carbonate.

Abstract: Fibrous elements, such as filaments and/or fibers, and more particularly to fibrous elements that contain a fast wetting surfactant, fibrous structures made therefrom, and methods for making same are provided.

Abstract: Processes for pulping raw pulp material, such as wood chips, to provide pulp fibers having increased bulk, as well as bleaching the resulting pulp fibers to provide bleached pulp fibers having increased bulk. These pulp fibers and bleached pulp fibers may be incorporated into or used various products, such as multi-ply coated paperboards, fluff pulp, etc.

Abstract: An article including a first fiber derived from a first natural source and a second fiber derived from a fruit. A method of manufacturing an article may include combining a first and second fiber to form a fiber mixture, where the first and second fibers are obtained from discrete materials, and where at least one of the fibers is derived from an edible fruit of a plant. The article may be formed from the fiber mixture.

Abstract: In order to provide an absorbent, which contains no wood pulp and wood pulp and has improved liquid absorbability and improved liquid retention ability, and an absorptive article provided with the absorbent, no wood pulp having a settling time in water of 2-5 sec is used in an absorbent that contains no wood pulp and wood pulp.

Abstract: A system and method of manufacturing a feedstock for producing paper fiber from fruit of a plant may include providing a by-product source inclusive of fiber from the edible fruit after a process for removing a majority of the edible fruit is used to produce a food. One or more treatment processes to brighten the fruit by-product may be performed. The feedstock may be produced from the brightened fruit by-product.

Abstract: An article including a first fiber derived from a first natural source and a second fiber derived from a fruit. A method of manufacturing an article may include combining a first and second fiber to form a fiber mixture, where the first and second fibers are obtained from discrete materials, and where at least one of the fibers is derived from an edible fruit of a plant. The article may be formed from the fiber mixture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated method for producing cellulose and at least one low-molecular-weight reusable material, in which a starting material containing lignocellulose is provided and subjected to a decomposition with a processing medium. A fraction enriched with cellulose and a fraction depleted of cellulose is then isolated from the decomposition material, the depleted fraction of cellulose being subjected to a treatment during which at least one low-molecular-weight reusable material is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cellulosic particles, a suspension of cellulosic particles and a process for the production of a suspension of cellulosic particles, whereby the cellulosic material is never dried between the dissolution of the cellulose and the disintegration of the suspended cellulose fibers.

Abstract: A process is provided for delignifying lignocellulosic material, including feeding a lignocellulosic blend comprising a Western Red Cedar (WRC) chip furnish and a second lignocellulosic material into an aqueous alkaline pulping solution at the feed end of a digester to produce a lignocellulosic mass. The second lignocellulosic material is provided in a proportion that increases the density of the mass to enable the mass to move through the digester while minimizing production effects associated with low density WRC chips. The mass moves through the digester to produce a pulp that may be bleached.

Abstract: DNA constructs comprising a first DNA segment that corresponds to at least a portion of a gene in the monolignol biosynthetic pathway, a spacer DNA segment, and a second DNA segment that is complementary to the first DNA segment can be used to reduce or modulate the lignin content in plants. In some embodiments, DNA constructs comprise at a least a portion of a gene for 4CL, C3H, CCR, C4H or CCoAOMT. Vascular-preferred and constitutive promoters can be used to drive expression of the constructs.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding a feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase and the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzyme that enables incorporation of monolignol ferulates, for example, including p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and sinapyl ferulate, into the lignin of plants.

Abstract: A method is presented, by which dewatering in paper product production, optical properties, bulk and surface smoothness of the paper product can be increased. The method involves at least one step physical treatment of the vegetable fiber raw material.

Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce an intermediate or product, e.g., by fermentation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to freeze-tolerant transgenic Eucalyptus, including methodology for making and products produced there from. Following exposure to cold temperature, and compared to a control plant, the freeze-tolerant Eucalyptus displays a freeze-tolerant phenotype characterized by at least one of increased height, less leaf damage, less dieback of main stem, less crown defoliation, and/or improved tree stem form.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a process of modifying a seed based fiber (SBF) to form an enhanced fiber additive (EFA). The process includes an acid treatment step and optionally at least one fiber modification step. Preferred EFA products and uses are described.

Abstract: In angiosperm and gymnosperm plants, overexpressing a SAMdc nucleotide sequence can decrease lignin content and, for plants with woody tissue, increase wood density.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for converting lignocellulosic material into biofuel. In particular embodiments, the method comprises pre-treating lignocellulosic material by dissolving the material in ionic liquids. The pretreated lignocellulosic material can be isolated, such as by precipitation with a regenerating solvent (e.g., water), and be used directly in the formation of biofuel, including undergoing hydrolysis to form sugar and fermentation to form fuel, such as bioethanol. The ionic liquid can be recycled for further use, such as by evaporation of the water introduced during precipitation, and the recycling provides a route to a hemicellulose rich fraction and an ionic liquid of consistent quality and wood dissolution characteristics. The recovered hemicelluloses are of significant utilization potential toward commodity and specialty applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of nano-fibrillar cellulose gels by providing cellulose fibres and at least one filler and/or pigment; combining the cellulose fibres and the at least one filler and/or pigment; and fibrillating the cellulose fibres in the presence of the at least one filler and/or pigment until a gel is formed, as well as the nano-fibrillar cellulose gel obtained by this process and uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of suspensions of nano-fibrillar cellulose by providing cellulose fibres and at least one filler and/or pigment; combining the cellulose fibres and the at least one filler and/or pigment; and fibrillating the cellulose fibres in the presence of at least one filler and/or pigment, as well as the suspensions of nano-fibrillar cellulose obtained by this process and their uses.

Abstract: A system for collecting ligno-cellulosic biomass over a large area to enable the commercial refining of biomass from 2,500 to in excess of 50,000 tons of biomass per day to produce ethanol or other products. The biomass is collected at a series of collection points and then transported through a network of conduit “loops” interconnecting each of the collection points and the central refining plant. The water used to transport the biomass, as a slurry, is recovered and sequentially recycled in the same pipeline system to push the biomass slurry around the system in a “loop.” The outgoing and return legs of each loop optionally are located adjacent each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wood-based lignocellulosic fibrous material having a tearing length of more than 8 km at 15° SR and a lignin content of at least 15%, based on the unbleached oven-dry fibrous material, for coniferous wood and having a tearing length of more than 5.0 km at 20° SR and a lignin content of at least 12%, based on the unbleached oven-dry fibrous material, for deciduous wood.

Abstract: A textile and a dye manufactured from fibers that are derived from tobacco plants and a process for making the textile and dye from the tobacco plants. In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco is organically grown and the entire tobacco plant, including stem and leaves, is utilized to produce the tobacco plant fiber used for making a textile and a natural dye utilized to color the textile or other textiles. One or more secondary material fibers can be mixed with the tobacco plant fiber to produce the textile. The process percolates a hot liquid solution onto tobacco plant material to cause a chemical reaction with the tobacco plant material to produce the tobacco plant fiber. Preferably, the process is a closed-loop system that minimizes the impact on the environment and utilizes less material, fuel and other resources. The dye does not require a mordant to bind with the textile.

Abstract: A system for collecting ligno-cellulosic biomass over a large area to enable the commercial refining of biomass from 2,500 to in excess of 50,000 tons of biomass per day to produce ethanol or other products. The biomass is collected at a series of collection points and then transported through a network of conduit “loops” interconnecting each of the collection points and the central refining plant. The water used to transport the biomass, as a slurry, is recovered and sequentially recycled in the same pipeline system to push the biomass slurry around the system in a “loop”.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for the removal of resin from wood chips processed in a Kraft pulping process are disclosed. The method is particularly useful for removing triterpene and triterpenoid resin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid composition which comprises at least one polymer and at least one ionic liquid, the cations of which are derived from polycyclic amidine bases, and a process for isolating cellulose from cellulose-containing sources using at least one such ionic liquid.

Abstract: Soft and strong fibrous structures and more particularly soft and strong fibrous structures that contains less softwood fibers than known fibrous structures and methods for making such soft and strong fibrous structures are provided.

Abstract: A process is provided for delignifying lignocellulosic material, including feeding a lignocellulosic blend comprising a Western Red Cedar (WRC) chip furnish and a second lignocellulosic material into an aqueous alkaline pulping solution at the feed end of a digester to produce a lignocellulosic mass. The second lignocellulosic material is provided in a proportion that increases the density of the mass to enable the mass to move through the digester while minimizing production effects associated with low density WRC chips. The mass moves through the digester to produce a pulp that may be bleached.

Abstract: Fibrous structures employing non-naturally occurring hardwood pulp fibers, and more particularly, sanitary tissue products employing non-naturally occurring hardwood pulp fibers and methods for making same are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are silver skin-containing paper and the production method thereof. Aqueous pulp slurry containing paper pulp fibers and ground silver skin is prepared, wherein the ground silver skin is provided by wet grinding of silver skin in the presence of water. The aqueous pulp slurry is then formed into a sheet. The silver skin-containing paper contains the ground silver skin at a ratio of 5 to 60% by mass of the paper.

Abstract: A process for producing dissolving pulp includes a degumming step using a degumming liquor which includes hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

Abstract: A method for extracting such natural cellulosic fiber bundles from natural cellulose sources selected from the group consisting of cornhusk, cornstalk, switchgrass leaves, switchgrass stems, rice straw, sorghum leaves, sorghum stems, soybean straw, wheat straw, cotton stems, barley straw, and combinations thereof, the method comprising performing an alkali treatment to partially delignify the cellulose source material and an enzyme treatment to depolymerize hemicellulose, break covalent links between lignin and carbohydrates, and decompose cellulose chains in the natural cellulosic source material, or a combination thereof thereby yielding extracted natural cellulosic fiber bundles having a length that is greater than that of individual cells and a fineness of at least about 1 denier and no greater than about 300 denier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a paper product having 0.1 to 10 percent of an acid treated seed based fiber material incorporated into the paper making composition. The remainder of the paper product can be pulp fibers, for example wood fibers. The seed based fiber material is present on the surface of the pulp fibers and imparts certain properties to the paper product formed from it.

Abstract: Multi-layered fibrous structures comprising hardwood pulp fibers that are present in the outer layers of the fibrous structures at differing weight percents, sanitary tissue products comprising such fibrous structures and methods for making such fibrous structures are provided. More particularly, the present invention relates to multi-layered fibrous structures comprising Acacia fibers that are present in the outer layers of the fibrous structures at differing weight percents, sanitary tissue products comprising such fibrous structures and methods for making such fibrous structures are provided.

Abstract: An oxidative solution (Ox-B, a solution of no less than 5:1 sodium hypochlorite: hydrogen peroxide) was found to remove both lignin and hemicellulose from sugarcane bagasse. After treatment the cellulosic residue readily separated from the lignin and hemicellulose by sedimentation. The residue (the pulp) contained up to 80% by weight cellulose, and was easily degradable by cellulase enzyme. A treatment of oxidation with low concentrations of Ox-B, followed by a caustic wash, produced a cellulose residue that was able to be almost completely hydrolyzed to simple sugars by cellulase. Due to the low amount chemical used and the efficiency of the degradation, this process has commercial potential.

Abstract: Wood chips having low bleachability are impregnated with a chemical liquor at a pH range of 7-12 in aqueous solution and the chemical liquor from the impregnated chips is drained, whereby extractives contained in the chips and consuming bleaching agents can be removed to improve the effect of bleaching agents in a subsequent bleaching step. Bleached mechanical pulp is prepared by defibration by primary refining—bleaching—beating by secondary refining wherein pulp fibers are washed after defibrating wood chips having low bleachability and before bleaching the pulp fibers, whereby the amount of bleaching agents used can be reduced and bleached mechanical pulp having a Hunter brightness of 45-65% after secondary refining can be obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a water disintegratable sheet including bast/leaf fibers and at least one kind of primary fibers. The bast/leaf fibers have a Canadian Standard freeness value of at most 600 milliliter and occupy 2 to 75% by weight of a total fiber weight of the sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a water disintegratable sheet of which fibers are hydroentangled about each other. The water disintegratable sheet includes: at least one kind of primary fibers having a fiber length of at most 10 millimeter; and bast/leaf fibers having a Canadian Standard freeness value of at most 600 milliliter and a fiber length of at most 10 millimeter.

Abstract: A process for making a composition for conversion to lyocell fiber where the process comprises pulping a raw material in a digester to provide an alkaline pulp, wherein the raw material comprises sawdust in an amount greater than 0 % up to 100 %; and contacting the alkaline pulp comprising cellulose and at least about 7 % hemicellulose under alkaline conditions with an amount of an oxidant sufficient to reduce the average degree of polymerization of the cellulose to within the range of from about 200 to about 1100, without substantially reducing the hemicellulose content of the pulp or substantially increasing the copper number.

Abstract: A process for making a pulp product that has a low COD is comprised of soaking and washing pulp in alkaline water for a sufficient time so that the COD after soaking and washing is less than or equal to 2.0 kg/1000 kg of dry pulp. The process includes repetitively soaking and washing an unbleached pulp in alkaline water that is never allowed to drop below pH 7.0. In this process, the pulp is soaked and washed for a total of at least 220 minutes at an elevated temperature to produce the pulp product that has a low COD.

Abstract: Enzymatic methods are provided for determining the surface triglycerides content in a sample of wood pulp. The methods preferably comprise reacting triglycerides which are present on the surface of the wood pulp fibers in the sample in the presence of a lipase to form glycerol and fatty acids, and then determining the difference between the amount of free glycerol present in the sample and the amount of glycerol formed from said triglycerides. The method is useful as a quick, portable, accurate, and low cost assay for assessing the amount of triglycerides present at various sample points in pulp and paper mills, which advantageously serves as a diagnostic tool for use in controlling the undesirable deposition of pitch during the papermaking process.

Abstract: In a new process for preparing pulped wood chips for paper making, chips from a hardwood such as eucalyptus are inoculated with aliving culture of one or more white rot fungi. The fungi propagate throughout the body of the wood chip, selectively attacking the lignin of the wood without harming the cellulosic fibers. Subsequent mechanical pulpting results in reduced utilization of energy, improved strength, and reduced cooking time.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a process of modifying a seed based fiber (SBF) to form an enhanced fiber additive (EFA). The process includes an acid treatment step and optionally at least one fiber modification step. Preferred EFA products and uses are described.

Abstract: A multi-phase, non-heat seal tea bag web material is provided with a pattern on either the top or bottom phases. The top phase is formed from fibers, such as hardwood, that provide a tighter or more dense fibrous phase than the vegetable fibers used in the base phase. Patterning can be provided during web formation by using a knuckled wire or by applying a fluid jet against the top of the web material. The sifting characteristics of the multi-phase web material are comparable to or better than that exhibited by single phase material.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, lyocell products can be made with unbleached pulps resulting in products with high amounts of hemicellulose and high amounts of lignin as compared to conventional lyocell products. The lyocell products of the present invention are advantageously less expensive to produce but retain the desirable strength of conventional lyocell products.

Abstract: A method for breaking down used materials or items, particularly wooden or motor-vehicle items, into reusable components with the use of fractionating tools, with which the accelerated parts of used material interact. The breakdown is effected selectively through impacts, deformation tension, bending stress, friction and/or shearing, with the shape and arrangement of the fractionating tools being set and/or matched to the structure and size of the used feed materials and/or the obtained recycled material.

Abstract: Stable cellulosic fiber material for use in forming zeolite/cellulose composites is prepared by suspending loose cellulose fibers in an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or sodium silicate, stirring the resulting suspension until it reaches a macroscopically homogenous appearance, heating the resulting mixture at a temperature of 323-423 K until only dry solids remain, contacting the resulting mixture with excess distilled water to remove physically adsorbed or trapped sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or sodium silicate from the fibers, and heating the resulting fiber material at 323-423 K to dry the fiber material. Stable zeolite/cellulose composite material characterized in that leaching of the zeolite phase does not occur upon contact of the composite with water at approximately 373 K comprises a zeolite and a stable cellulosic fiber prepared as described above, the composite material being formed by contacting a zeolite with the stable fiber material.

Abstract: The invention relates to the separation and of components from vegetable raw materials. The invention provides a method for separating components from vegetable material which has at least leaf and/or stem parts, characterized in that the material is at least partly fiberized and subsequently is separated into a fiber fraction and a juice stream, such that the fiber fraction principally has relatively firm tissues such as epidermis, sclerenchyma and vascular bundles, and the juice stream principally contains soft tissues such as parenchyma and cytosol. In preferred embodiment, the invention provides a method for separating a juice stream which has in particular chloroplasts.