Process for making precipitated cellulose

Claim 2

In a process for precipitating cellulose from a solution thereof which comprises dissolving cellulose in a solvent for the cellulose containing a tertiary amine oxide and thereafter shaping the solution and separating the cellulose from the tertiary amine oxide, the improvement wherein the solution is prepared by a process which comprises dissolving from 10-35% by weight cellulose in a solvent for the cellulose which comprises a tertiary amine oxide and from about 1.4% to about 29% by weight of water.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the solution additionally contains an aprotic organic liquid co-solvent for cellulose, compatible with the amine oxide having a dipole moment greater than about 3.5 Debyes.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of N-methylmorpholine oxide with from about 5.5% to about 18% water, dimethylethanolamine oxide with from about 1.4% to about 13% water, dimethylbenzylamine oxide with from about 5.5% to about 17% water, N-methylhomopiperidine oxide with from about 5.5% to about 20% water, triethylamine oxide with from about 7% to about 29% water, dimethylcyclohexylamine oxide with from about 5.5% to about 16% water and N-methylpiperidine and up to about 17.5% water.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises N-methylmorpholine oxide and from about 5.5% to about 18% water.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises dimethylethanolamine oxide and about 1.4% to about 13% water.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent comprises dimethylcyclohexylamine oxide and about 5.5% to about 16% water.

Claim 8

In a process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a tertiary amine oxide solvent for the cellulose and thereafter shaping the solution and separating the cellulose from the tertiary amine oxide, the improvement wherein the solution is prepared with a solvent for the cellulose comprising a tertiary amine oxide selected from the group consisting of: (a) triethylamine oxide and (b) tertiary amine oxides having one or two of the valence bonds of the N substituted by a methyl residue and, where one methyl residue is present, the remaining valences are satisfied by a divalent radical forming a 5- to 7-membered ring structure having the N-atom in the ring; where two methyl residues are present, the remaining valence is satisfied by (1) a monovalent cyclic 5-, 6- or 7-membered residue which may be substituted only by methyl residues at the β- or ε-positions, or (2) by a radical which can form a pseudo-cyclic structure through interaction with the N-oxide functionality, and from about 1.4% to about 29% by weight of water.

Claim 9

In a process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a tertiary amine oxide solvent for the cellulose and thereafter shaping the solution and separating the cellulose from the tertiary amine oxide, the improvement wherein the solution is prepared with a solvent for the cellulose comprising a tertiary amine oxide selected from the group consisting of: (a) triethylamine oxide and (b) tertiary amine oxides having one or two of the valence bonds of the N substituted by a methyl residue and, where one methyl residue is present, the remaining valences are satisfied by a divalent radical forming a 5- to 7-membered ring structure having the N-atom in the ring; where two methyl residues are present, the remaining valence is satisfied by (1) a monovalent cyclic 5-, 6- or 7-membered residue which may be substituted only by methyl residues at the β- or ε-positions, or (2) by a radical which can form a pseudo-cyclic structure through interaction with the N-oxide functionality, and from about 1.4% to about 29% by weight of water.

Claim 10

In a process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a tertiary amine oxide solvent for the cellulose and thereafter shaping the solution and separating the cellulose from the tertiary amine oxide, the improvement wherein the solution is prepared with a solvent for the cellulose comprising (1) a tertiary amine oxide having one of the following structures: ##STR8## where X is a radical chain completing a ring comprising 2 to 4 carbon atoms, R 1 and R 2 are H or methyl (Me); ##STR9## wherein Z is (i) a saturated or aromatic, unsaturated 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring which may be substituted only by methyl at the β- or ε-positions or (ii) CH 2 CH 2 W where W can be OH, SH or NH 2 , or (2) triethylamine oxide and from about 1.4% to about 29% by weight of water.

Claim 11

In a process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a tertiary amine oxide solvent for the cellulose and thereafter shaping the solution and separating the cellulose from the tertiary amine oxide, the improvement wherein the solution is prepared with a solvent for the cellulose comprising (1) a tertiary amine oxide having one of the following structures: ##STR8## where X is a radical chain completing a ring comprising 2 to 4 carbon atoms, R 1 and R 2 are H or methyl (Me); ##STR9## wherein Z is (i) a saturated or aromatic, unsaturated 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring which may be substituted only by methyl at the β- or ε-positions or (ii) CH 2 CH 2 W where W can be OH, SH or NH 2 , or (2) triethylamine oxide and from about 1.4% to about 29% by weight of water.

Claim 12

In a process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a tertiary amine N-oxide solvent for the cellulose, shaping the resulting solution and thereafter precipitating the cellulose from the solution while retaining its shape, the improved process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a solvent containing a tertiary amine N-oxide selected from the group consisting of triethylamine N-oxide and a tertiary amine N-oxide having a cyclic or pseudo-cyclic structure in which the ring has a width of 5.15 A or less and from about 1.4% to 29% by weight water based on the weight of the resulting solution, said tertiary amine N-oxide having a dipole moment of at least about 4.5 Debyes, shaping the resulting solution and precipitating the cellulose from the solution while retaining the shape thereof by exposing the shaped solution to water.

Claim 13

In a process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a tertiary amine N-oxide solvent for the cellulose, shaping the resulting solution and thereafter precipitating the cellulose from the solution while retaining its shape, the improved process which comprises dissolving cellulose in a solvent containing a tertiary amine N-oxide selected from the group consisting of triethylamine N-oxide and a tertiary amine N-oxide having a cyclic or pseudo-cyclic structure in which the ring has a width of 5.15 A or less and from about 1.4% to 29% by weight water based on the weight of the resulting solution, said tertiary amine N-oxide having a dipole moment of at least about 4.5 Debyes, shaping the resulting solution and precipitating the cellulose from the solution while retaining the shape thereof by exposing the shaped solution to water.

Claim 14

The process of claim 9 wherein said resulting solution contains from 10% to 35% dissolved cellulose.