Technology Information  Title Production of Chemical Cellulose from Recycled Paper Products Manager Kelly Sexton Case Number 94054 Abstract NCSU Researchers have developed a novel method for the production of chemical cellulose from recycled paper products. This technology is protected under U.S. Patent No. 6,254,722. Abstract: Most of the world's chemical cellulose, or dissolving pulp, is derived from wood using the prehydrolysis kraft or acid sulfite process. There is a growing need to find a more environmentally friendly resource for chemical cellulose. The increase in public recycling of paper products and wastepaper provides a potentially unlimited source of chemical cellulose. Researchers at NC State University developed a new process that uses cold alkali extraction and xylanase treatment to effectively remove hermicelluloses from high quality waste paper to produce a pulp suitable as a dissolving pulp. This innovative process produces a dissolving pulp suitable for conversion to cellulose derivative such as rayon, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, etc. The process utilizes a variety of chemical pulps or waste papers. Future applications of this technology could also include providing higher quality pulps for chemical cellulose. Advantages: Allow smaller producers or recycled fiber producers to enter the dissolving pulp supplier arena, which has previously been limited to a few large-scale specialty suppliers Provides a new market for recycled fiber Potential for low impact on the environment Process produces a variety of cellulose derivatives About the Inventor: Dr. John A. Heitmann, Jr. is a Professor in the Department of Wood and Paper Science at NCSU. Dr. Heitmann is a specialist in papermaking science and his research interests center around biotechnological applications to papermaking processes such as enzymatic modifications to cellulosic fibers for drainage control, biomaterials/bioenergy, wet end chemistry, recycled fibers and other aspects of papermaking, refining power reduction and tissue softness. Taxonomy NCSU Technology Categories/Agriculture NCSU Technology Categories/Paper/Agriculture NCSU Technology Categories/Pulp/Agriculture NCSU Technology Categories/Wood/Agriculture Keywords Paper, Papermaking, Dissolving Pulp  Web Links  Name Open Link TechFinder Link Open Link US Patent No. 6,254,722 Open Link Request Information If you are a registered user, please login before requesting information by clicking the Login button. If you have not registered, click the Login button for registration information.