Process for isolating cellulose from cellulosic biomass, isolated cellulose of type i and composite materials comprising same

Abstract

Described herein are processes for the production of a cellulose pulp and processes for isolating cellulose from cellulose-containing biomass. The processes of the invention comprises contacting the biomass with a source of anions and a source of cations, the source of anions and the source of cations being selected to react exothermically with the biomass and with each other. The processes of the invention have the particularity of generating exothermic reactions through enthalpies of reaction and mixture. Accordingly, the processes of the invention do not require any supply of external energy since the required energy is provided by chemical reagents that are already present in the biomass or added as needed. The invention also relates to isolated cellulose obtained from these processes and the use of same in various materials.

1 . A process for the production of a cellulose pulp, comprising:
 providing a biomass comprising cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin;   contacting the biomass with a source of anions and a source of cations, wherein said source of anions and said source of cations are selected to react exothermically with the biomass and with each other and wherein the source of cations is selected from the group consisting of amins, polyamins, phosphines and polyphosphines;   allowing exothermic reactions under conditions and for a period of time sufficient to break intermolecular bonds existing between lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses; and   obtaining a cellulose pulp comprising solubilised hemicelluloses and solubilised lignin.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A process for the production of a cellulose pulp, comprising:
 providing a biomass comprising cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin;   providing a source of anions A and a source of cations B, wherein said source of anions A and said source of cations B are ionic precursors of an ionic liquid of formula AB, and wherein said source of anions A and source of cations B are aqueous and are selected to react exothermically with the biomass and with each other;   contacting the biomass with the source of anions A and with the source of cations B, wherein said contacting is carried out under conditions and for a period of time allowing the formation of said ionic liquid AB, and wherein said contacting is exothermic and breaks intermolecular bonds existing between lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses;   obtaining a cellulose pulp comprising i) a solid phase composed principally of cellulose and ii) a heterogeneous viscous mixture comprising solubilised hemicelluloses and solubilised lignin.   
     
     
         5 . The process of any one of  claims 1  to  4 , further comprising isolating from said cellulose pulp a component selected from the group consisting of: cellulose, lignin, hemicelluloses, waxes, tannins, minerals, essential oils, pectins, and vitamins. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the biomass is contacted and allowed to react with the source of anions prior to being contacted with the source of cations. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A process for isolating cellulose from biomass, comprising:
 a) providing a biomass comprising cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin;   b) contacting the biomass with a compound A for impregnating at least partially said biomass and for obtaining an impregnated acidic biomass, wherein compound A is aqueous and a source of anions and wherein compound A reacts exothermically with the biomass;   c) contacting the impregnated acidic biomass with a compound B, wherein compound B is aqueous and a source of cations and wherein compound B reacts exothermically with compound A impregnated within the acidic biomass;   d) allowing exothermic reactions under conditions and for a period of time sufficient to break intermolecular bonds existing between lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses and produce a cellulose pulp comprising solubilised hemicelluloses and solubilised lignin;   e) isolating cellulose from said pulp.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising an intermediary step of decreasing viscosity of the exothermic reaction of step d) prior to step e), wherein decreasing viscosity comprises adding an aqueous and/or a non-aqueous solvent. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the aqueous or non-aqueous solvent is selected from the group consisting of water and ethanol. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein step e) of isolating cellulose comprises one or more of a washing step, a drying step, a bleaching step, a grinding step, a sieving step and a milling step. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein said contacting step a) and/or contacting step b) comprises pouring, pulverizing, spraying, atomizing, injecting, steaming, mixing and/or sprinkling compound A and/or compound B. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein cellulose to be isolated at step e) is cellulose of Type I. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein said process is carried inside an open reactor at ambient pressure. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the source of anions is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, phosphoric acid, p-toluen sulfonic acid and nitric acid. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the source of cations is selected from the group consisting of amins, polyamins, phosphines and polyphosphines. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the source of cation is 2-Aminoethanol or 2,2′-Iminodiethanol. 
     
     
         26 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the source of anions and the source of cations are a single zwitterionic compound selected from the group consisting of amino acids, arsenobetaine, betaine, bicine, ceftazidime, cephaloridine, edelfosine, iIsoionic point, miltefosine, perifosine, quinonoid zwitterion, tricine, and trimethylglycine. 
     
     
         29 - 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said process is carried inside an open reactor at ambient pressure. 
     
     
         51 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein said process is carried inside an open reactor at ambient pressure. 
     
     
         52 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the source of cations is selected from the group consisting of amins, polyamine, phosphines and polyphosphines. 
     
     
         53 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the source of cation is 2-Aminoethanol or 2,2′-Iminodiethanol. 
     
     
         54 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the source of cation is 2-Aminoethanol or 2,2′-Iminodiethanol.