International Paper Company

V M Yasnovsky

Donald M MacDonald

Heat treatment of never-dried dissolving pulps prior to drying prevents or retards the hornification and consequent decrease in esterification reactivity which normally occurs on drying of untreated pulps.

Prevention of hornification of dissolving pulp

Treatment of dissolving pulp derived from wood with small quantities of C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 carboxylic acids and subsequent storage of the treated pulp, under conditions where little acid evaporation can occur, for periods of about two hours or more results in a product which has more uniform reactivity toward standard activation techniques in subsequent esterification reactions which produce known cellulose esters. At certain concentrations conventional activation techniques may be dispensed with.

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Sloatsburg, NY, United States of America

V M Yasnovsky