The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 24, 2018
Filed:
Mar. 20, 2017
Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Kariya-shi, Aichi, JP;
Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, Kurashiki-shi, Okayama, JP;
Asuka Mizuno, Aichi, JP;
Minoru Sugiyama, Osaka, JP;
Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi, JP;
Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha, Okayama, JP;
Abstract
A cellulose nanofiber (CNF) powder of the present invention contains cellulose nanofibers, and a hydrophobic polymer that is chemically bonded to at least some of the —OH groups of the cellulose nanofibers. The CNF powder has the ability to be dispersed in water and to return to a powder form again when an aqueous dispersion of the CNF powder is dried. The distance between the fibers in the CNF powder in a dry state is 3 nm or more, and preferably 8 to 12 nm. Since the distance between the fibers in the conventional cellulose nanofibers is about 1 nm, the present invention reduces the Van der Waals force between the fibers (i.e., the force of attraction between the fibers) to one millionth of that of the conventional cellulose nanofibers. Thus, the present invention provides the CNF powder that can be used in a powder form, and that can also be reversibly changed between a powder state and a dispersed state in water, and a method for producing the CNF powder.