Agency:

Forest Service

April 25, 1995

The invention provides a cellulose solution prepared by dissolving a cellulose which has not previously been subject to explosive disruption at atmospheric pressures in an aqueous alkali solution. The solution can be shaped into a fiber, film or other article or applied to the surface or treatment of other materials by coating, dipping, or other suitable methods.

Akira Isogai	Rajai H. Atalla
USDA-Forest Service	USDA-Forest Service
Madison, WI	Madison, WI
(608) 231-9443	(608) 231-9443

Industry Keywords:

solvent; cellulose; aqueous alkali; film; fiber.

Forest Service

This invention presents a novel method for dissolving cellulose at atmospheric pressure without prior explosive disruption. A cellulose solution is prepared that has a relatively high degree of polymerization in an aqueous alkali solution having a single akali composition. This allows it to be shaped into a fiber, film, or other article or applied to the surface of or used for the treatment of other materials by coating, filming, or dripping. The method overcomes many of the defects of the known cellulose-dissolving methods and presents a simpler and more efficient method for cellulose solution production.

Please refer to Patent Number 5,410,034, which issued April 25, 1995.