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US4806475A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Alkaline peroxide treatment of agricultural byproducts

Assignee: United States Department of Agriculture
•
Filing: 1986-09-29
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Granted: 1989-02-21
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Expires: 2006-09-29
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Abstract

Abstract Nonwoody lignocellulosic portions of plant fruits, roots, and tubers, such as sugar beet pulp, citrus pulp, seed hulls, and cereal bran are treated with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions thereby delignifying the materials and rendering the cellulose and hemicellulose highly available for subsequent use. The products are characterized by enhanced water-binding capacity of the cellulose as indicated by high water swellability. The products are also nontoxic and thereby useful as carbohydrate sources in ruminant feeds, as microbial feedstocks, and as sources of dietary fiber for humans and other monogastrics.

Inventors

  • 👤 John M. Gould

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 08:07
CPC Classifications
D; D21; D21C; D21C3/00; D21C3/006; A; A23; A23G; A23G3/00; A23G3/34; A23G3/346; A23K; A23K10/00; A23K10/30; A23K10/32; C; C08; C08B; C08B1/00; C08H; C08H6/00; C08H8/00; C12; C12P; C12P7/00; C12P7/02; C12P7/04; C12P7/06; C12P7/08; C12P7/10; A23G2200/00; A23G2200/06; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E50/00; Y02E50/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 89 words
A method for treating a substrate to yield a cellulosic product wherein said substrate is a nonwoody lignocellulosic portion of a fruit, root, or tuber, said method comprising treating said substrate in a reaction medium comprising an aqueous solution of strong alkali and hydrogen peroxide so as to solubilize at least a portion of the lignin and to enhance the water-binding capacity of the cellulose, thereby producing a water-soluble lignin-containing fraction and a water-insoluble cellulose-containing fraction, and recovering the water-insoluble fraction from the reaction medium as said cellulosic product.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 89 words
A method for treating a substrate to yield a cellulosic product wherein said substrate is a nonwoody lignocellulosic portion of a fruit, root, or tuber, said method comprising treating said substrate in a reaction medium comprising an aqueous solution of strong alkali and hydrogen peroxide so as to solubilize at least a portion of the lignin and to enhance the water-binding capacity of the cellulose, thereby producing a water-soluble lignin-containing fraction and a water-insoluble cellulose-containing fraction, and recovering the water-insoluble fraction from the reaction medium as said cellulosic product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method as described in claim 1 wherein said substrate is sugar beet pulp.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method as described in claim 1 wherein said substrate is citrus pulp.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method as described in claim 1 wherein said substrate is seed hulls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method as described in claim 1 wherein said substrate is cereal bran.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method as described in claim 1 wherein said strong alkali is sodium hydroxide, and the pH is controlled within the range of about 11.2 to about 11.8.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 98 words
A method for treating a substrate to yield a cellulosic product wherein said substrate is a nonwoody lignocellulosic component of a plant, said method comprising treating said substrate in a reaction medium comprising an aqueous solution of strong alkali and hydrogen peroxide at a pH in the range of about 11.2 to about 11.8 so as to solubilize at least a portion of the lignin and to enhance the water-binding capacity of the cellulose, thereby producing a lignin-containing water-soluble fraction and a cellulose-containing water-insoluble fraction, and recovering the water-insoluble fraction from the reaction medium as said cellulosic product.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 98 words
A method for treating a substrate to yield a cellulosic product wherein said substrate is a nonwoody lignocellulosic component of a plant, said method comprising treating said substrate in a reaction medium comprising an aqueous solution of strong alkali and hydrogen peroxide at a pH in the range of about 11.2 to about 11.8 so as to solubilize at least a portion of the lignin and to enhance the water-binding capacity of the cellulose, thereby producing a lignin-containing water-soluble fraction and a cellulose-containing water-insoluble fraction, and recovering the water-insoluble fraction from the reaction medium as said cellulosic product.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method as described in claim 7 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of sugar beet pulp, citrus pulp, seed hulls, and cereal bran.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method as described in claim 8 wherein said strong alkali is sodium hydroxide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 2.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 3.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 4.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 5.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 6.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 7.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 8.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 10 words
The cellulosic product produced by the method of claim 9.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2487114A Cited
US4462864A Cited
CA1169794A Cited
US4314854A Cited
US4649113A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-02-21 1992-08-22 1993-02-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-02-21 1996-08-22 1997-02-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-02-21 2000-08-22 2001-02-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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