Ligno cellulosic materials and the products made therefrom

Abstract

A process comprising treating a lignocellulosic material preferably pulp in the presence of a transition metal catalyst with a oxidizing agent selected from a group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite, hypochlorous acid and any combination thereof to form a treated lignocellulosic material having a viscosity equal to or less than about 17 cp and having reducing functional groups selected from the group consisting of aldehyde and aldehyde type functional groups at the C6 and C1 positions but predominating at the C1 position.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A process of making a kraft fiber, comprising bleaching a lignocellulosic kraft pulp using a bleaching process; and oxidizing the lignocellulosic kraft pulp as part of the bleaching process with a catalyst in the presence of an oxidizing agent under acidic pH, wherein the oxidizing occurs after a pulping process or after the bleaching process. 
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the catalyst is present at an amount of from 0.01 to 0.1 wt % of the lignocellulosic kraft pulp. 
     
     
         33 . The process according, to  claim 31 , wherein the catalyst comprises a transition metal. 
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the catalyst comprises a transition metal selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, cobalt, nickel, manganese, tungsten, zirconium, cerium, chromium, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the catalyst comprises a transition metal selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing agent is selected form the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorite, hypocholorous acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing agent is present at an amount of from 0.5 to 5 wt % of the lignocellulosic kraft pulp. 
     
     
         38 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing acidic pH is from 2 to 7. 
     
     
         39 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the lignocellulosic kraft pulp in not refined after oxidizing the lignocellulosic kraft pulp. 
     
     
         40 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing agent is peroxide. 
     
     
         41 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         42 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing is at a pH of from 2 to 6. 
     
     
         43 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the catalyst comprises iron. 
     
     
         44 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the catalyst comprises ferrous sulfate. 
     
     
         45 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing occurs at a temperature of at least 20° C. 
     
     
         46 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing occurs at a temperature ranging from 20° C. to 120° C. 
     
     
         47 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing occurs at a temperature ranging from 40° C. to 90° C. 
     
     
         48 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the oxidizing occurs at a temperature ranging from 60° C. to 90° C. 
     
     
         49 . A kraft fiber made by the process of  claim 31 . 
     
     
         50 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , having reducing functional groups selected from the group consisting of aldehyde and aldehyde type functional groups at the C6 and C1 positions but predominating at the C1 position. 
     
     
         51 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 50 , wherein the amount of aldehyde and aldehyde type functional groups at the C1 position is greater than about 75%. 
     
     
         52 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 50 , wherein the amount of aldehyde, and aldehyde type functional groups at the C1 position greater than about 90%. 
     
     
         53 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , having a viscosity equal to or less than about 17 cps. 
     
     
         54 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 53 , wherein the viscosity is equal to or less than about 10 cps. 
     
     
         55 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , having a copper number equal to or greater than about 3. 
     
     
         56 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , having a copper number equal to or greater than about 5.5. 
     
     
         57 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , having a carboxy number equal to or more than about 3.5 meq/100 grams of oven dried treated kraft fiber. 
     
     
         58 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , having a carboxy number equal to or more than about 5.5 meq/100 grams of oven dried treated kraft fiber. 
     
     
         59 . The kraft fiber according to  claim 49 , wherein said fiber material absorbs, absorbs or absorbs and absorbs 50% more ammonia as compared to an equal amount of kraft fiber not made by the process. 
     
     
         60 . An absorbent article for absorbing fluids, the article comprising: an absorbent layer comprising the kraft fiber according to  claim 49 . 
     
     
         61 . The absorbent article according to  claim 60 , further comprising at least one fluid permeable top sheet layer and at least one substantially fluid impermeable back sheet layer. 
     
     
         62 . The absorbent article according to  claim 60 , wherein the absorbent layer is interposed between the top sheet layer and the back sheet layer. 
     
     
         63 . A method for making an absorbent article, comprising: dry shredding the kraft fiber according to  claim 49 . 
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 63 , further comprising interposing a sub layer material comprising the dry shredded kraft fiber between at least one fluid permeable top sheet layer and at least one substantially fluid impermeable back sheet layer. 
     
     
         65 . A paper or paperboard making process which comprises the steps of:
 forming an aqueous paper making stock furnish comprising the kraft fiber according to  claim 49 ;   depositing said furnish on a forming wire of a paper making machine to form a wet paper web; and   drying said wet paper or paperboard web to form a dried paper or paperboard.   
     
     
         66 . A paper or paperboard comprising the kraft fiber according to  claim 49 .