US 12,146,262 B2
Non-wood pulp having high brightness and low debris
Zhiying Yu, Oshkosh, WI (US); Thomas G. Shannon, Neenah, WI (US); and Ning Wei, Roswell, GA (US)
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
Appl. No. 18/251,972
Filed by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 5, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/058198
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 5, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/098963, PCT Pub. Date May 12, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/110,600, filed on Nov. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0018723 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. D21C 9/10 (2006.01); D21C 1/02 (2006.01); D21C 1/10 (2006.01); D21C 3/02 (2006.01); D21C 3/22 (2006.01); D21C 9/00 (2006.01); D21C 9/16 (2006.01); D21D 1/20 (2006.01); D21H 11/14 (2006.01)
CPC D21C 9/1063 (2013.01) [D21C 1/02 (2013.01); D21C 1/10 (2013.01); D21C 3/02 (2013.01); D21C 3/222 (2013.01); D21C 9/007 (2013.01); D21C 9/163 (2013.01); D21D 1/20 (2013.01); D21H 11/14 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a non-wood pulp comprising the steps of:
a. providing a non-wood biomass derived from a plant of the family Asparagaceae;
b. cutting the biomass to a nominal size ranging from about 5.0 to about 20 mm prior to the step of compressing and macerating the biomass;
c. compressing and macerating the cut biomass with a compression screw and an aqueous solvent having a pH of about 7.0 or greater to extract water soluble solids and remove a portion of the epidermis from the cut biomass thereby yielding a bagasse;
d. impregnating the bagasse with a caustic solution and maintaining the impregnation for a first reaction time to produce an impregnated bagasse;
e. refining the impregnated bagasse under first refining conditions to produce a primary pulp; and
f. bleaching the primary pulp to produce a secondary pulp.