Functional regenerated cellulose fibers

Abstract

Fabrics comprising regenerated cellulose fibers and a nanoparticle dispersed throughout the fabric are disclosed herein. The regenerated cellulose fibers can be derived from a biomass such as a fibrous cellulose, wood pulp, cotton, paper, bast fiber, bagasse, or a combination thereof. The nanoparticle included in the fabric can be chosen to confer a desirable property, such as a thermal insulating property, to the fabric. Methods of making the fabrics comprising the regenerated cellulose fibers and nanoparticle are also provided. The method can include (a) at least partially dissolving a cellulose substrate in a medium comprising one or more ionic liquids; and dissolving or suspending a nanoparticle in the medium; (b) recovering a solid nanoparticle-modified regenerated cellulose material comprising the cellulose substrate and the nanoparticle; and (c) processing the solid nanoparticle-modified regenerated cellulose material to form the fabric.

1 . The fabric made by the method of  claim 13 , the fabric comprising regenerated cellulose fibers and nanoparticles dispersed throughout the fabric. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cellulose substrate is derived from fibrous cellulose, wood pulp, cotton, paper, bast fiber, or bagasse. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle is unreactive with the regenerated cellulose material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle is selected from a thermally conductive or insulating material, an electrically conductive material, an electromagnetic wave absorption or shielding material, a hydrophobic material, a fire retardant or suppressant, a water repellent material, a water absorbent material, a soil repellent material, a reflective material, an anti-microbial agent, a sunblock agent, a dye, a pigment, a fragrance, an insect repellent, a fabric softener, a UV-protective material, an oxidation resistant material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the nanoparticle is a thermal insulating material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle includes a far infrared radiation ceramic. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle includes aluminum, iron, silver, cerium, zinc, gold, copper, cobalt, nickel, platinum, manganese, rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, cadmium, mercury, calcium, zirconium, iridium, silicon, an oxide thereof, zeolite, graphite, a carbon nanotube, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the fabric. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle includes a far infrared radiation ceramic, a thermal conductive carbon material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises alumina, silica, titanium oxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, cesium oxide, zinc oxide, graphite, a carbon nanotube, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making a nanoparticle modified regenerated cellulose fabric, the method comprising:
 a. providing a composition of a cellulose substrate dissolved in an ionic liquid solvent and a nanoparticle dissolved or dispersed substantially homogeneously therein;   b. recovering a solid nanoparticle modified regenerated cellulose material comprising the cellulose substrate and the nanoparticle; and   c. processing the nanoparticle-modified regenerated cellulose material to form a fabric.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises at least partially dissolving a cellulose substrate in a medium comprising one or more ionic liquids; and dissolving or suspending a nanoparticle in the medium. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cellulose substrate is derived from fibrous cellulose, wood pulp, cotton, paper, bast fiber, or bagasse. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more ionic liquids have a cation portion derived from an imidazole, a pyrazole, a thiazole, an isothiazole, an azathiozole, an oxothiazole, an oxazine, an oxazoline, an oxazaborole, a dithiozole, a triazole, a selenozole, an oxaphosphole, a pyrrole, a borole, a furan, a thiophen, a phosphole, a pentazole, an indole, an indoline, an oxazole, an isoxazole, an isotriazole, a tetrazole, a benzofuran, a dibenzofuran, a benzothiophen, a dibenzothiophen, a thiadiazole, pyridine, a pyrimidine, a pyrazine, a pyridazine, a piperazine, a piperidine, a morpholone, a pyran, an annoline, a phthalazine, a quinazoline, a quinoxaline, a quinoline, a pyrrolidine, an isoquinoline, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more ionic liquids have an anionic portion selected from a halogen, a pseudohalogen, BX 4   −  wherein X is halogen, PF 6   − , AsF 6   − , SbF 6   −1 , NO 2   − , NO 3   − , SO 4   −2 , BR 4   − , phosphates, phosphites, polyoxometallates, carboxylates, substituted carboxylates, triflates, carboranes, substituted carboranes, metallocarboranes, and substituted metallocarboranes; wherein R is selected from hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, hetero cycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, silyl, boryl, phosphino, amino, thio, seleno, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more ionic liquids are selected from 1-C 2  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride, 1-C 3  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride, 1-C 4  alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-C 6  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride, 1-C 8  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride, 1-C 2  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium iodide, 1-C 4  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium iodide, 1-C 4  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-C 2  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-C 3  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-iso-C 3  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-C 6  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-C 4  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-C 2  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate, 1-C 2  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate, and 1-C 2  alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium trifluoroacetate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein recovering the solid nanoparticle-modified regenerated cellulose material comprises spinning, extruding, casting, coating, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein recovering the solid nanoparticle-modified regenerated cellulose material comprises spinning. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average diameter of 500 nanometers or less. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average diameter of from 20 nanometers to 100 nanometers.