Chapter 1.1 Process Scale-Up of Cellulose Nanocrystal Production to 25 kg per Batch at the Forest Products Laboratory

Abstract

The Fiber and Chemical Sciences Research Work Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory began working out the preparation of cellulose nanocrystals in 2006, using the method of Dong, Revol, and Gray. Initial samples were provided to several scientists within the Forest Service. Continued requests for this material forced scale-up from the initial 20 g scale to kg scale and eventually resulted in an award of $1.7 million dollars to the laboratory to purchase the equipment needed to scale production up to 20 kg per batch. The new pilot facilities started up in July 2012 with batch sizes of 15 kg and a maximum production of about 22 kg per week. Optimization has raised the batch size to 25 kg with a weekly production capability of 50 kg. This summary describes the pilot-plant equipment with current experimental procedure. It also describes scale-up changes from the laboratory procedure and adjustments that have been made in the procedure to correct minor problems.

Citation

Reiner, Richard S.; Rudie, Alan W. 2013. Process scale-up of cellulose nanocrystal production to 25 kg per batch at the Forest Products Laboratory. In: Postek, Michael T.; Moon, Robert J.; Rudie, Alan W.; Bilodeau, Michael A., eds. Production and Applications of Cellulose Nanomaterials. Peachtree Corners, GA: TAPPI Press. pp. 21-24, Chapter 1.1. ISBN: 978-1-59510-224-9.