Cellulose fiber, composite material, and method of producing the cellulose fiber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909234-B2
Application number	US-201715425191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2017
Priority date	Aug 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A cellulose fiber can reduce environmental burden while providing an enhanced modulus of elasticity easily and reliably. A composite material contains the cellulose fiber. A method of producing the cellulose fiber includes preparing a solution where needle-shaped phases each comprising a cellulose I crystal structure are dispersed in a matrix phase comprising a cellulose II crystal structure. The cellulose fiber includes the matrix phase and the needle-shaped phases contained in the matrix phase and the needle-shaped phases are oriented along an axial direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cellulose fiber comprising:
a matrix phase; and
needle-shaped phases comprised in the matrix phase,
wherein the matrix phase comprises a cellulose II crystal structure,
wherein the needle-shaped phases comprise a cellulose I crystal structure, and
wherein the needle-shaped phases are oriented along an axial direction.

2. The cellulose fiber according to claim 1 , wherein:
an average length of the needle-shaped phases is no less than 2 μm and no greater than 4 μm, and
an average diameter of the needle-shaped phases is no less than 3 nm and no greater than 100 nm.

3. The cellulose fiber according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the needle-shaped phases with respect to 100 parts by mass of the matrix phase in terms of solid content is no less than 2 parts by mass and no greater than 25 parts by mass.

4. A composite material comprising:
a base material;
a cellulose fiber provided at least on one face of the base material; and
a binder that secures the cellulose fiber to the base material,
wherein the cellulose fiber comprises:
a matrix phase; and
needle-shaped phases comprised in the matrix phase,
wherein the matrix phase comprises a cellulose II crystal structure,
wherein the needle-shaped phases comprise a cellulose I crystal structure, and
wherein the needle-shaped phases are oriented along an axial direction.

5. A method of producing a cellulose fiber comprising the steps of:
preparing a solution where needle-shaped phases each comprising a cellulose I crystal structure are dispersed in a matrix phase comprising a cellulose II crystal structure; and
extruding the solution through a spinning nozzle and coagulating the cellulose fiber.

Assignees

• Yamaha Corp

Inventors

• Nose Takayuki
• Miyata Tomoya

Classifications

• D01D5/06

  Wet spinning methods {(D01D5/0046 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C08L1/02

  Cellulose; Modified cellulose · CPC title

• D01F2/02 Primary

  from solutions of cellulose in acids, bases or salts · CPC title

• D01D5/12

  Stretch-spinning methods ({D01D5/098 takes precedence} finishing by stretching D02J1/22) · CPC title

• C08K7/02

  Fibres or whiskers · CPC title