JP6787137B2 - Fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a resin composition in which fine cellulose fibers are dispersed in a thermoplastic resin and a method for producing the same.

Conventionally, for the purpose of improving the mechanical properties of a molded product made of a thermoplastic resin, a resin composition obtained by kneading a cellulose fiber into the thermoplastic resin has been used as a molding material. Patent Document 1 discloses a method of kneading a heat-melted thermoplastic resin in a state in which the cellulose fibers are dispersed in water by utilizing the high hydrophilicity of the cellulose fibers. Further, Patent Document 2 states that cellulose fibers are melt-kneaded into a first thermoplastic resin directly melted, then pelletized, dry-blended with pellets of a second thermoplastic resin, and melt-kneaded again. A method of undergoing at least two steps of melt-kneading is disclosed.

Japanese Patent No. 5211571 Japanese Patent No. 5169188

However, the mechanical properties of the molded product made of the resin composition containing the cellulose fibers obtained by the conventional kneading method are not always satisfactory.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition capable of producing a molded product having excellent mechanical properties, and a method for producing the same.

[1] A step of melt-kneading a cellulose dispersion material in which fine cellulose fibers are dispersed and containing a fiber dispersion resin and water and a main material resin is provided, and the fine cellulose fibers have an average fiber width of 2 to 15,000 nm. Moreover, it is a fine cellulose fiber having an average fiber length of 0.1 to 2.0 mm, and the ratio of water content to the total of the fine cellulose fiber and water content in the cellulose dispersion material is 10 to 60% by mass, and the cellulose dispersion material. A method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition, wherein the melt-kneading is performed under conditions of temperature and pressure at which the water inside is in a subcritical state.
[2] The fineness according to [1], wherein in the cellulose dispersion material, the mass ratio of the fine cellulose fibers to the fiber dispersion resin (the fine cellulose fibers / the fiber dispersion resin) is 0.2 to 100. A method for producing a cellulose fiber-containing resin composition.
[3] The method according to [1] or [2], which comprises a cellulose-dispersed material manufacturing step of forming the cellulose-dispersed material into a sheet in advance and then shredding the sheet before the melt-kneading step. A method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition.
[4] The cellulose dispersion material manufacturing step includes a step of forming the sheet-shaped cellulose dispersion material by dehydrating a mixed dispersion liquid containing the fine cellulose fibers, the fiber dispersion resin and water. The method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to [3].
[5] The method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the main resin is pelletized in advance.
[6] The method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the fine cellulose fibers are derived from virgin pulp.
[7] A fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition produced by the production method according to any one of [1] to [6].

By using the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition of the present invention, a molded product such as a mechanical part having excellent mechanical properties can be obtained.
According to the method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition of the present invention, the dispersibility of fine cellulose fibers in the resin can be made extremely high.

<Manufacturing method of fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition>
The first embodiment of the present invention contains fine cellulose fibers having a step (melt kneading step) in which fine cellulose fibers are dispersed and a resin for fiber dispersion, a cellulose dispersion material containing water, and a main resin are melt-kneaded. This is a method for producing a resin composition. In the present embodiment, for example, a method of melt-kneading a cellulose dispersion material in which fine cellulose fibers are dispersed in a fiber dispersion resin and containing water and a main material resin can be mentioned.
The fine cellulose fibers are fine cellulose fibers having an average fiber width of 2 to 15,000 nm and an average fiber length of 0.1 to 2.0 mm. The ratio of water content (hereinafter, may be referred to as water content) to the total of the fine cellulose fibers and water content in the cellulose dispersion material is 10 to 60% by mass. The melt-kneading is performed under temperature and pressure conditions where the water in the cellulose dispersion material is in a subcritical state.

The production method of the present embodiment may include, for example, a fiber slurry preparation step, a resin emulsion preparation step, a mixing step, and a cellulose dispersion material preparation step before the melt-kneading step. Hereinafter, each step will be described.

(Fiber slurry preparation process)
The fiber slurry preparation step is a step of preparing a fiber slurry in which fine cellulose fibers are dispersed in a dispersion medium. As the dispersion medium, water, an organic solvent, or the like can be used, and water is preferable.

The fine cellulose fiber is a fine cellulose fiber having an average fiber width of 2 to 15,000 nm measured by the method described later. The fine cellulose fiber is preferably an aggregate of cellulose molecules having an I-type (parallel chain) crystal structure.
The average fiber width of the fine cellulose fibers is preferably 2 to 12,000 nm, more preferably 20 to 10,000 nm, and even more preferably 50 to 8,000 nm.
When the average fiber width is 2 nm or more, it is possible to suppress the dissolution of cellulose molecules in water, so that the physical properties (strength, rigidity, dimensional stability) of fine fibers can be easily exhibited. When the average fiber width is 12,000 nm or less, the width is remarkably narrower than the fiber width of the fibers contained in the pulp for ordinary papermaking, and exhibits characteristics different from those of the pulp for ordinary papermaking.
When the average fiber width of the fine cellulose fibers is within the above range, not all the fine cellulose fibers need to be within the above range, and the fiber width of some fine cellulose fibers may exceed the upper limit. , It may be less than the lower limit. That is, thick fibers and thin fibers may be mixed.

The average fiber width is measured by the following method. An aqueous suspension of fine cellulose fibers having a solid content concentration of 0.05 to 0.1% by mass is prepared, and the suspension is cast on a hydrophilized carbon film-coated grid to prepare a sample for electron microscope observation. .. Observation is performed using an electron microscope image at a magnification corresponding to the width of the constituent fine cellulose fibers. Here, the "width" means the distance from one end of the fine cellulose fiber to the other, whichever is shorter. However, the sample, observation conditions and magnification should be adjusted so as to satisfy the following conditions.
(1) A straight line X is drawn at an arbitrary position in the observation image, and 20 or more fine cellulose fibers intersect with the straight line X.
(2) A straight line Y that intersects the straight line perpendicularly is drawn in the same image, and 20 or more fine cellulose fibers intersect the straight line Y.
The width of the fine cellulose fibers intersecting the straight lines X and Y is visually read with respect to the observation image satisfying the above conditions. In this way, three or more different observation images are observed, and the width of the fine cellulose fibers intersecting the straight lines X and Y is read for each image. In this way, at least 20 fibers × 2 × 3 = 120 fibers are read. The fiber width in the present invention is the average value of the fiber width read in this way.

The average fiber length of the fine cellulose fibers measured by the method described below is 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm. The average fiber length is preferably 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, more preferably 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm. When the average fiber length of the fine cellulose fibers is at least the above lower limit value, the strength of the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition can be further improved by the reinforcing effect of the fibers.
When it is not more than the upper limit value, the dispersibility of the fine cellulose fibers becomes good in the subsequent melt-kneading step. Further, the strength of the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition can be further improved.
The average fiber length is measured by measuring the length-weighted average fiber length. For example, it can be measured using a Kajaani fiber length measuring device (FS-200 type) manufactured by Kajaani Automation Co., Ltd. The measurement of the average fiber length is not limited to the above-mentioned device, and can be measured by using an equivalent product. The fiber length of at least 120 fine cellulose fibers is measured, and the average value thereof is taken as the average fiber length.

The axial ratio (major axis / minor axis) of the fine cellulose fibers is preferably in the range of 20 to 10,000. When the axial ratio is 20 or more, it becomes easy to form a molded product, and when the axial ratio is 10,000 or less, it is possible to prevent the viscosity of the fiber slurry from becoming excessively high. Further, when the axial ratio is in the range of 20 to 10,000, high drainage can be maintained in the step of papermaking the mixed dispersion liquid described later. The axial ratio in this embodiment is a value obtained by the average fiber length measurement value obtained by using the Kayani fiber length measuring device (FS-200 type) of Kayani Automation Co., Ltd. and the average fiber width obtained by electron microscope observation. is there. Here, the "major axis" means the average fiber length, and the "minor axis" means the average fiber width.

Examples of the method for pulverizing the cellulose fibers include a method of pulverizing the cellulose fibers by wet pulverization or dry pulverization using a known crusher or a paper beating machine to dissociate the cellulose fibers from each other. Further detailed miniaturization processing is described in, for example, paragraphs 0032 to 0035 of International Publication No. 2013/137449, and can be performed with reference to the description.

Chemical denaturation treatment such as TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl radical) oxidation treatment, ozone treatment, craft treatment, sulfite treatment, bleaching before or after the fine processing of cellulose fibers. Treatment and enzyme treatment may be performed.

Examples of the cellulose fiber used in the fiber slurry preparation step include a cellulose fiber produced from wood and a cellulose fiber produced from herbs.
The fine cellulose fibers are preferably derived from virgin pulp. Here, the virgin pulp means a pulp (cellulose fiber-containing material) having no history of papermaking.
In general papermaking, beaten or defibrated cellulose fibers are dispersed in a dispersion medium and then dried through a papermaking process to form paper. Since the cellulose fibers are dehydrated and bonded to each other during this drying, it is not easy to prepare a fiber slurry of individually separated cellulose fibers (monofilaments) using paper as a raw material.
On the other hand, by using fine cellulose fibers derived from virgin pulp, a fiber slurry in which homogeneous fine cellulose fibers are dispersed can be obtained. As a result, the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to the present invention can contain homogeneous fine cellulose fibers with a high degree of dispersion.

Wood-based materials for obtaining fine cellulose fibers include, for example, chemical pulp obtained by cooking coniferous tree and broadleaf tree by the kraft method, sulfite method, soda method, polysulfide method, etc., and mechanical pulp pulped by mechanical force such as refiner and grinder. Examples thereof include semi-chemical pulp pulped by mechanical force after pretreatment with chemicals, and dissolved pulp (for example, pulp that has been prehydrogenated and kraft-melted).
Examples of non-wood materials for obtaining fine cellulosic fibers include pulp obtained from cotton, Manila hemp, flax, straw, bamboo, pagas, kenaf and the like by the above method.
Further, as a material for obtaining virgin pulp, in addition to the above-mentioned plant raw materials, cotton contained in clothing (used clothes) can also be applied.

Examples of the method for preparing the fiber slurry of fine cellulose fibers include a method of treating the material by a known method to obtain pulp containing fine cellulose fibers and diluting with a dispersion medium to obtain a fiber slurry. Be done.

The solid content concentration of the fiber slurry of the fine cellulose fibers is preferably 0.1 to 10.0% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 5.0% by mass. When the solid content concentration of the fiber slurry is at least the above lower limit value, a cellulose dispersion material sufficiently containing fine cellulose fibers can be easily produced in the cellulose dispersion material production step described later. When it is not more than the upper limit value, it is possible to prevent the fiber slurry from forming agglomerates. If necessary, the fiber slurry may contain known paper-making chemicals such as a sizing agent and a paper strength enhancer.

(Resin emulsion preparation process)
The resin emulsion preparation step is a step of preparing a resin emulsion containing a resin for fiber dispersion. Here, the resin emulsion is a liquid in which resin particles for fiber dispersion are dispersed and emulsified in a dispersion medium. The resin emulsion may be anionic, cationic or nonionic. The "resin emulsion" is sometimes called a "resin emulsion".

The fiber dispersion resin is a polymer component that plays a role in enhancing the dispersibility of the fine cellulose fibers in the main material resin when the cellulose dispersion material is melt-kneaded into the main material resin in the subsequent melt-kneading step.
The fiber dispersion resin is preferably a resin having compatibility with the main resin, for example, an olefin resin, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, alkyl poly (meth) acrylate. Ester polymer, (meth) acrylic acid alkyl ester copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene- (meth) acrylic acid alkyl ester copolymer, polyester (eg, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, poly) Butylene succinate, polybutylene succinate adipate, etc.), polyurethane, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, polyisoprene, polychloroprene, styrene-butadiene-methylmethacrylate copolymer, etc. .. These fiber dispersion resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.
More specifically, examples of the fiber dispersion resin include the fiber dispersion resin described in paragraphs 0018 to 0024 of International Publication No. 2013/137449.

The fiber dispersion resin is preferably in the form of particles. The average particle size of the particles is preferably in the range of 0.001 to 10 μm, more preferably in the range of 0.01 to 1.0 μm.
The average particle size means a particle size (so-called median size) at which the integrated particle amount with respect to the total particle amount is 50% in the particle size distribution based on the volume average particle size. The measurement of the average particle size can be performed using a laser diffraction type particle size distribution measuring device, for example, a laser diffraction type particle size distribution measuring device SALD-2000 series manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation.

The solid content concentration (nonvolatile component) of the resin emulsion is preferably 20 to 60% by mass, more preferably 30 to 60% by mass. When the solid content concentration of the resin emulsion is at least the above lower limit value, a molded product sufficiently containing the fiber dispersion resin can be easily produced in the cellulose dispersion material manufacturing step described later. When it is not more than the upper limit value, the emulsion stability of the resin emulsion can be enhanced. The solid content concentration can be measured according to the method described in JP-A-2011-46776. The pH of the resin emulsion can be measured according to JIS Z8802 “pH measuring method”.

As a method for preparing a resin emulsion, for example, [1] a method of polymerizing a monomer constituting a fiber dispersion resin in a dispersion medium in the presence of a surfactant to synthesize a fiber dispersion resin and emulsifying it (polymerization method). ); [2] A method of adding a fiber dispersion resin and a surfactant to a dispersion medium and stirring and emulsifying (post-emulsification method) can be mentioned. Any emulsification method is known, and for example, the method described in paragraphs 0038 to 0050 of International Publication No. 2013/137449 can be applied.

[Use of resin fiber]
In the present invention, as the fiber dispersion resin, the resin fiber can be used instead of the resin emulsion or together with the resin emulsion. The resin fiber may be a slurry dispersed in a dispersion medium, or may be a solid content only. As the dispersion medium, water, an organic solvent, or the like can be used, and water is preferable.
The type of resin fiber is not limited at times, but is preferably a resin fiber having compatibility with the main resin, and for example, known resin fibers such as polyethylene fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyethylene terephthalate fiber, and nylon 6 fiber are used. Can be mentioned.
The type of resin fiber used may be one type or two or more types.

(Mixing process)
The mixing step is a step of mixing the fiber slurry with the resin emulsion and / or the resin fiber of the fiber dispersion resin to prepare a mixed dispersion liquid containing water. It is presumed that a part or all of the fine cellulose fibers can be coated with the fiber dispersion resin by this step.

The water content in the mixed dispersion may be derived from the fiber slurry, the resin emulsion, or the water separately added in the mixing step. The water content with respect to the total mass of the mixed dispersion is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 75% by mass or more, still more preferably 75% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of facilitating the adjustment of the water content in the subsequent cellulose dispersion material forming step. It is 90% by mass or more. The water content is preferably 99% by mass or less.
When it is at least the above lower limit value, the viscosity of the mixed dispersion liquid is sufficiently lowered, and the mixed dispersion liquid can be easily handled in the subsequent step. When it is not more than the above upper limit value, the content of the fine cellulose fibers contained in the cellulose dispersion material can be easily increased in the subsequent step, and the productivity of the cellulose dispersion material is further improved.

The mixing ratio of the fiber slurry of the fine cellulose fibers with the resin emulsion and / or the resin fibers is such that the amount of the solid content of the fiber dispersion resin is 1 to 500 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the fine cellulose fibers (solid content). The ratio is preferably 10 to 100 parts by mass, more preferably 15 to 70 parts by mass. When the mixing ratio is equal to or higher than the lower limit, the dispersibility of the fine cellulose fibers in the main resin in the obtained fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is further improved, and the strength of the molded product made of the composition is increased. Further improve. When it is not more than the upper limit value, the productivity of the cellulose dispersion material (for example, composite sheet) produced in the subsequent stage is further improved.

A known paper-making chemical may be appropriately used as the mixed dispersion. Examples of the chemicals for papermaking include various chemicals such as paper strength agents, wet paper strength agents, retention agents, coagulants, water filters, bulking agents, viscosity modifiers, and defoamers.

The mixing method for preparing the mixed dispersion is not particularly limited, and for example, a method in which a fiber slurry and a resin emulsion and / or a resin fiber are placed in a container and stirred using a stirrer such as a homomixer, a fiber slurry and the like. Examples thereof include a method of passing a resin emulsion and / or a resin fiber through a line mixer.

(Cellulose dispersion material manufacturing process)
In the cellulose dispersion material manufacturing step, the mixed dispersion is dehydrated, and the ratio of water content (moisture content) to the total of fine cellulose fibers and water is lost by evaporation or the like before being subjected to 10 to 60% by mass or the subsequent melt-kneading step. This is a step of forming a adjusted cellulose dispersion material in an amount that takes into account the amount of water. The amount of the fiber dispersion resin contained in the cellulose dispersion material does not affect the water content specified here.
The water content of the cellulose dispersion material is preferably 15 to 50% by mass, more preferably 20 to 45% by mass, and even more preferably 25 to 40% by mass.
By dehydrating the water contained in the mixed dispersion so as to have the above water content, the fine cellulose fibers are uniformly dispersed together with the fiber dispersion resin, and melted using a cellulose dispersion material containing an appropriate amount of water. The kneading process can be performed.

The water content of the cellulose-dispersed material is a value (percentage) obtained by measuring the mass change of the sample before and after drying according to JIS P-8203: 2010 and dividing the difference by the mass before drying.

The form of the cellulose-dispersed material is not particularly limited, and for example, the form of a sheet, a lump, a pellet, or the like is preferable, and a sheet-like composite sheet is more preferable.
By fragmenting, the fine cellulose fibers contained in the cellulose-dispersing material can be more easily and uniformly dispersed in the main resin. As a result, the strength of the obtained fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition can be further improved.

The basis weight of the composite sheet is preferably 1.0~1000g / ^{m 2,} more preferably 5.0~500g / ^{m 2,} more preferably 10.0~100g / ^{m 2.} If the basis weight of the composite sheet is at least the above lower limit value, sufficient sheet strength can be secured and continuous production becomes easy, and if it is at least the above upper limit value, the composite sheet can be easily fragmented in the subsequent stage. ..

In the cellulose dispersion material, the mass ratio of the fine cellulose fibers to the fiber dispersion resin (fine cellulose fibers / fiber dispersion resin) is preferably 0.2 to 100, more preferably 1 to 10, and further preferably 1.5 to 7. preferable.
When it is at least the above lower limit value, it becomes easier to maintain the form (for example, sheet shape) of the cellulose dispersion material.
When it is not more than the above upper limit value, it becomes easier to prevent the fine cellulose fibers from agglutinating and to maintain the dispersed state.

Examples of the method of dehydrating the water contained in the mixed dispersion until the desired water content is obtained include papermaking, coating, and centrifugation.
Specific methods for papermaking include, for example, a method of producing a composite sheet using a known continuous papermaking apparatus including a wire part, a press part, and a dryer part. By controlling the amount of water evaporation in each part by a conventional method, the water content of the cellulose dispersion material can be adjusted.
Specific examples of the coating method include a method in which a mixed dispersion is applied on a base and a drying treatment for evaporating water is performed to form a cellulose-dispersed material having a desired water content.

Examples of the method of fragmenting the composite sheet include cutting, crushing, and the like. The diameter of the fragmented material is preferably, for example, about 0.1 mm to 1 cm.
The cutting or crushing can be performed using, for example, a known crusher or shredder such as an atomizer, a cutter mill, a bead mill, a ball mill, or a jet mill. Preferably the area of the pulverized composite sheet is 0.1~2500mm ^2, more preferably 0.2~1000mm ^2. When the area of the pulverized product is within the above range, it becomes easier to uniformly mix the pulverized product and the main resin in the subsequent melt-kneading step.

(Melting and kneading process)
The melt-kneading step is a step of melt-kneading the above-mentioned cellulose dispersion material having a predetermined water content and the main resin under temperature and pressure conditions where the water contained in the cellulose dispersion material is in a subcritical state.

As a specific method, for example, the fragmented cellulose dispersion material and the main resin are weighed and mixed at a predetermined ratio, and water in a subcritical state is put into a heat-resistant chamber capable of forming and melted. There is a method of kneading.

The water content (ratio of water content to the total of fine cellulose fibers and water content) of the cellulose dispersion material to be melt-kneaded is 10 to 60% by mass, preferably 10 to 50% by mass, more preferably 15 to 45% by mass. 20-40% by mass is more preferable.
When it is at least the above lower limit value, the efficiency with which the water in the subcritical state disperses the fine cellulose fibers with respect to the main resin is further enhanced. When it is not more than the above upper limit value, it is possible to prevent the amount of heat generated during melt-kneading from becoming excessive and suppress the decomposition of fine cellulose fibers. Further, the time and effort for removing the water that has played a role of dispersing the fine cellulose fibers in the main resin from the fine cellulose-containing resin composition is reduced.

The water content of the cellulose-dispersed material to be melt-kneaded is the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material immediately before the melt-kneading. For example, when a mixture of a pellet of a main resin and a finely divided cellulose dispersion material is melt-kneaded, a part of the cellulose dispersant is separated from the mixture after the dry blend and the water content thereof is measured. Specifically, the pellets of the dry-blended main material resin are quickly sieved before the water evaporates from the cellulose-dispersed material, and then the remaining cellulose-dispersed material is used as a sample in JIS P-8203: 2010 described above. Moisture content is determined by a compliant method.
When the influence of the water content in the main resin on the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material can be ignored, the above-mentioned JIS using the mixture as a sample without separating the cellulose-dispersed material.
The water content may be determined by a method according to P-8127: 2010.

The mixing ratio of the cellulose-dispersed material and the main material resin is appropriately set according to the target physical properties and the physical properties of the main material resin. For example, the blending amount of the cellulose dispersion material is preferably 1 to 100 parts by mass (solid content), and more preferably 5 to 70 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass (solid content) of the main resin.
When the blending amount of the cellulose dispersion material is at least the above lower limit value, the main resin can be sufficiently strengthened, and when it is at least the above upper limit value, the toughness of the obtained fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is sufficiently maintained. it can.

The main material resin is a synthetic resin constituting 50 parts by mass or more of 100 parts by mass of all the polymer components in the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition. The main material resin preferably comprises 60 parts by mass or more, and more preferably 70 parts by mass or more, out of 100 parts by mass of all the polymer components in the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition.

As the synthetic resin, a known thermoplastic resin can be applied, for example, polypropylene, polyolefin such as polyethylene, polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate and polylactic acid, polystyrene, poly (meth) acrylic acid, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyacetal and the like. Can be mentioned. The thermoplastic resin constituting the main resin may be one type or two or more types.
From the viewpoint of reducing hydrolysis of the main resin during melt-kneading, polyolefin is preferable as the main resin, and polyethylene and polypropylene are more preferable.

For mixing the cellulose dispersion material and the main resin, for example, a tumbler mixer, a Henschel mixer, or the like can be used. At this time, various additives may be mixed at the same time. Examples of the additive include an antioxidant, an ultraviolet absorber, a filler, a pigment, a dye, an antistatic agent, a lubricant, a plasticizer and the like.

As a device for melt-kneading each mixed material, a device equipped with a heat-resistant pressure chamber capable of bringing the water contained in the cellulose-dispersed material into a subcritical state and melt-kneading the cellulose-dispersed material and the main resin. Is preferable. As such an apparatus, for example, a known apparatus that melts and kneads while stirring in the chamber as a pressurizing heating furnace in which pressure and heat are applied from the outside can be applied. Among them, a device provided with a mechanism for vaporizing and removing water in the chamber at an arbitrary timing is more preferable.

The temperature in the chamber during melt-kneading is preferably more than 100 ° C. and 300 ° C. or lower, more preferably 150 ° C. or higher and 250 ° C. or lower.
The pressure in the chamber during melt-kneading is equal to or lower than the saturated water vapor pressure at the melt-kneading temperature, and is preferably 0.5 MPa to 25 MPa, more preferably 1 MPa to 20 MPa.
When it is at least the lower limit of the above temperature range and pressure range, it becomes easy to bring the water contained in the cellulose dispersion material into a subcritical state, and the dispersibility of the fine cellulose fibers in the main resin can be further improved. ..
If it is not more than the upper limit of the above temperature range and pressure range, the fine cellulose fiber or the main resin is decomposed, and the fiber strength or the resin strength required to improve the strength of the target resin composition is lost. It can be sufficiently suppressed.
The preferred subcritical state of water in the present invention is more than 100 ° C. and 300 ° C. or lower and 0.5 to 25 MPa, and the more suitable subcritical state of water is 150 ° C. or higher and 250 ° C. or lower and 1 MPa to 20 MPa. is there.

The melt-kneading time is preferably 1 to 60 minutes, more preferably 2 to 30 minutes, still more preferably 3 to 15 minutes.
When it is at least the above lower limit value, the fine cellulose fibers can be sufficiently uniformly dispersed in the main resin. When it is not more than the above upper limit value, the decomposition of the main resin and the fine cellulose fibers can be sufficiently suppressed.

One of the indexes for determining the completion of melt-kneading is to measure the torque required for stirring during melt-kneading, and after the torque reaches the maximum value, the torque decreases.

After the fine cellulose fibers and the main resin are uniformly mixed by melt-kneading, it is preferable to remove the water content in the chamber. Moisture can be removed from the chamber by vaporizing the water by sufficiently lowering the temperature and pressure of the chamber from the critical point of water.

After completion of melt-kneading, the target fine cellulose fiber molten resin composition is taken out from the chamber. The temperature at the time of taking out is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the main material resin in order to prevent the main material resin from adhering and remaining in the chamber. It is preferable that the taken-out fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is supplied to an extruder, discharged from the die of the extruder in a rod shape, cooled, cut, and molded into a pellet shape.

<Mechanism of action>
The details of the melt-kneading mechanism in the melt-kneading process have not been clarified, but it is presumed as follows. Water that has become subcritical in the chamber is activated, its relative permittivity decreases, and the ion product increases. The water activated in this way defibrate the fine cellulose fibers that have aggregated with each other into monofilaments and prevent their reaggregation. In addition, the activated water disperses the main resin in a state close to a single polymer molecular chain. As a result, it is presumed that the dispersed polymer molecules and the monofilament of the fine cellulose fibers are stirred in the chamber and efficiently mixed to obtain a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition in which the dispersed polymer molecules are uniformly dispersed and mixed. Will be done.
Further, since the fine cellulose fibers are dispersed in the cellulose dispersion material in advance together with the fiber dispersion resin before the fine cellulose fibers are mixed with the main resin, the fiber dispersion resin is an irreversible bond between the fine cellulose fibers. It is considered that the dispersibility in the main resin is improved.
According to the production method of the present invention, a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition having excellent mechanical properties can be obtained. The reason for this is that by appropriately controlling the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material during melt-kneading, it is possible to knead the fine cellulose fibers with extremely high dispersibility in the resin while suppressing deterioration and decomposition of the fine cellulose fibers. Be done.
If the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material at the time of melt-kneading is small, the amount of activated water that contributes to the kneading of the fine cellulose fibers and the main resin is small, and it is considered that the dispersibility is poor. On the contrary, if the water content becomes too high, the amount of heat generated and the amount of activated water become excessive, and it is considered that the fine cellulose fibers are decomposed or deteriorated. When the dispersibility is lowered or the fine cellulose fibers are decomposed or deteriorated, it is difficult to increase the mechanical strength of the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition.

It is considered that the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 have the following problems.
In the method of Document 1 (Patent No. 5211571), a large amount of water is kneaded with the cellulose fibers with the thermoplastic resin and vaporized during the kneading, so that the amount of heat generated increases and the cellulose fibers deteriorate. It is thought that it is.
In the method of Document 2 (Patent No. 5169188), the cellulose fiber is melt-kneaded into the first thermoplastic resin, then pelletized, dry-blended with the pellet of the second thermoplastic resin, and again. It is considered that the cellulose fibers have deteriorated because they undergo at least two stages of melt-kneading, which is melt-kneading. Further, since the cellulose fibers are melt-kneaded without being dispersed in water, it is considered that the dispersibility of the cellulose fibers in the resin is inferior.

In the method of Japanese Patent No. 4950939, pulp in which cellulose fibers are dehydrated and bonded to each other is treated with sub-critical water to decompose the cellulose fibers and knead them into a thermoplastic resin. As is clear from the description in this document, mixing cellulose fibers with subcritical water usually results in the decomposition of the cellulose fibers. However, in the production method of the present invention, since the water content of the cellulose dispersion material is adjusted as described above, the fine cellulose fibers are melted in the main resin with a high degree of dispersion while suppressing the decomposition of the fine cellulose fibers. Can be kneaded.
Further, unlike the present invention, since the cellulose fibers are not dispersed together with the fiber dispersion resin but are directly dispersed in the main material resin, irreversible bonds between the cellulose fibers are likely to occur, and the cellulose fibers are easily bonded to the main material resin. It is difficult to disperse sufficiently, and the dispersibility is inferior.

<Fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition>
In the production method described above, the fine cellulose fibers are dispersed in the resin by melt-kneading the mixture containing the fine cellulose fibers, water, and the resin under the temperature and pressure conditions where the water is in a subcritical state. A fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is obtained.

The content of the fine cellulose fibers in the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is preferably 1 to 100 parts by mass, more preferably 5 to 70 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the main resin as a solid content. It is preferably 10 to 50 parts by mass, and more preferably 10 to 50 parts by mass.
When the content of the fine cellulose fibers is at least the above lower limit value, the strength of the composition can be further improved. If it is not more than the above upper limit value, the toughness of the composition can be sufficiently maintained.

The content (solid content) of the fine cellulose fibers with respect to the total mass (solid content) of the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is preferably 0.1 to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 15% by mass. It is more preferably 0 to 10% by mass.
When the content of the fine cellulose fibers is at least the above lower limit value, the strength of the composition can be further improved. When it is not more than the upper limit value, the toughness of the composition can be sufficiently maintained.

The water content with respect to the total mass of the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is preferably less than 1% by mass, more preferably less than 0.1% by mass. The lower the water content, the less likely the mechanical properties to change during the storage period of the composition, and the more the storage stability is improved.

<Molded body>
The fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition can be used as a material for a molded product.
The method for producing a molded product using the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is not particularly limited, and for example, injection molding, extrusion molding, blow molding, press molding and the like can be applied.

(Mechanical properties)
The tensile yield strength of the molded product using the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition is preferably 5.0 MPa or more, more preferably 10 MPa or more, still more preferably 20 MPa. If the tensile yield strength is equal to or higher than the lower limit, it can be said that the strength is sufficiently high. On the other hand, the upper limit of the tensile yield strength is not particularly limited, and for example, about 200 MPa can be mentioned as an example, but the strength may exceed this value. The tensile yield strength can be measured according to JISK7161-1994 and JISK7162-1994.

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be shown. In the following example, "%" means "% by mass" and "part" means "part by mass".

[Example 1]
-Preparation of fiber slurry Water so that the concentration of softwood bleached kraft pulp (manufactured by Oji Paper Co., Ltd., water content 55% by mass, Canadian standard drainage degree (CSF) 600ml measured according to JIS P8121) is 4% by mass). Was added. Next, using a double disc refiner, beat the irregular CSF (plain weave 80 mesh, conforming to JIS P8121 except that the pulp sampling amount was 0.3 g) to 300 ml and the average fiber length to 0.68 mm, and beat the pulp slurry. Got After beating, the concentration is adjusted to 2.1%, and the fiber is defibrated by mechanical force using Claremix 2.2S manufactured by M-Technique, and fine cellulose with a solid content concentration of 1.9% is added to the water. A fiber slurry in which fibers were dispersed was obtained. The average fiber length of the fine cellulose fibers was 0.3 mm, and the average fiber width was 80 nm.

-Preparation of resin emulsion As a resin for fiber dispersion, an ethylene-methylacrylate-maleic anhydride copolymer (trade name: Lexpearl ET, grade: ET330H) manufactured by Japan Polyethylene Corporation was used.
The fiber dispersion resin was continuously supplied from the hopper of the same-direction rotary meshing twin-screw extruder at a rate of 100 parts / hour. From the supply port provided in the vent portion of the extruder, an aqueous solution of a cationic polymer surfactant having a solid content of 35% was dispensed at a ratio of 28 parts / hour (8.5 parts / hour as a solid content). A resin emulsion was obtained by continuously extruding at a heating temperature of 120 ° C. while pressurizing at a discharge pressure of 3 kg / cm ² G) and continuously supplying the mixture.
The above-mentioned cationic polymer surfactant and resin emulsion were prepared in accordance with the method described in JP-A-2007-326913.

The resin emulsion obtained above is an ethylene-methylacrylate-maleic anhydride copolymer dispersed in water having an average particle size of 1 μm. The non-volatile component of this resin emulsion was 46% and the pH was 4.4.

-Preparation of Cellulose Dispersion Material 100 parts (solid content equivalent) of the fiber slurry prepared above and 20 parts (solid content equivalent) of the resin emulsion were mixed to obtain a mixed dispersion liquid.
The mixed dispersion was made by suction dehydration on a double-woven plastic wire manufactured by Nippon Filcon Co., Ltd. to obtain a water-containing web composed of fine cellulose fibers and a resin emulsion. The water-containing web was dehydrated using a cylinder roll to obtain a composite sheet having a basis weight of 32 g / m ² . This sheet was cut with scissors and cut into pieces of about 2 mm square. The water content (ratio of water content to the total of fine cellulose fibers and water content) of the fragmented cellulose dispersion material was measured by the above-mentioned method and found to be 45%.

-Production of Fine Cellulose Fiber-Containing Resin Composition by Melt-Kneading 400 g of the fragmented cellulose dispersion material and 800 g of polypropylene (manufactured by Nippon Polypropylene Co., Ltd., brand: MA3) were mixed. The water content (ratio of water content to the total of fine cellulose fibers and water content) of the cellulose-dispersed material after fragmentation and mixing was measured and found to be 40%.
Taking care not to lose water from the obtained mixture, the mixture was put into a mixing chamber of a melting and mixing device (manufactured by M & F Technology, model number: MF-1000), and the moisture in the mixing chamber was set at 200 ° C. and 5 MPa. Was brought into a subcritical state and melt-kneaded for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, a rod-shaped fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition was extruded from the resin discharge port, placed on a stainless steel tray, and cooled at room temperature to solidify. The solidified fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition was cut into pellets.

[Example 2]
A fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material at the time of melt-kneading was changed to 55%.

[Comparative Example 1]
A fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material at the time of melt-kneading was changed to 4%.

[Comparative Example 2]
A fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the water content of the cellulose-dispersed material at the time of melt-kneading was changed to 85%.

<Physical property test>
[Tensile yield strength and tensile modulus]
The pellets of each resin composition prepared in Examples and Comparative Examples were placed in a heating press mold having dimensions: 50 mm × 60 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. After preheating for 5 minutes in a hot press with a surface temperature of 160 ° C, the resin is melted by repeating pressurization and depressurization, the residual gas in the molten resin is degassed, and the pressure is further increased at 4.9 MPa and held for 5 minutes. did. Then, it was gradually cooled at a rate of 10 ° C./min under a pressure of 4.9 MPa, and when the temperature dropped to around room temperature, the molded plate was taken out from the mold. The obtained molded plate was allowed to stand for 48 hours or more in an environment of a temperature of 23 ± 2 ° C. and a humidity of 50 ± 5 ° C. to stabilize the state. Then, the test piece 1 having the shape of the test piece 5B described in JIS K 7162 was punched out from the molded plate.

Using the above test piece 1, the tensile yield strength and the tensile elastic modulus were measured with reference to JIS K 7161. As a tensile tester, Tensilon (model: RTG-1250) manufactured by A & D Co., Ltd. was used. The tensile speed at the time of measuring the tensile yield strength was 1.0 mm / min, and the tensile speed of the tensile elastic modulus was 0.2 mm / min. The only condition different from the above JIS standard is the tensile speed at the time of measuring the tensile elastic modulus. The measurement results are shown in Table 1.

[Coefficient of linear expansion]
The pellets of each resin composition prepared in Examples and Comparative Examples were placed in a heating press mold having dimensions: 120 mm × 120 mm and a thickness of 0.2 mm, and heated at a surface temperature of 200 ° C. for 5 minutes. After heating, the resin was melted by repeating pressurization and depressurization, and the residual gas in the molten resin was degassed, further pressurized at 15 MPa, and held for 1 minute. Then, it was taken out, held in a water-cooled press with a pressure of 5 MPa for 1 minute, cooled, and then the molded plate was taken out from the mold. The obtained molded plate was allowed to stand for 48 hours or more in an environment of a temperature of 23 ± 2 ° C. and a humidity of 50 ± 5 ° C. to stabilize the state. Then, the test piece 2 having a width of 3 mm and a length of 40 mm was punched from the molded plate.

Using a thermomechanical analyzer (TMA "EXSTAR6000" manufactured by SII), the test piece 2 was subjected to a chuck distance of 20 mm in a tensile mode, a load of 98 mN, and a nitrogen gas atmosphere at a speed of 25 ° C. to 5 ° C./min. The temperature was lowered to −10 ° C., held at −10 ° C. for 10 minutes, then raised to 100 ° C. at a rate of 5 ° C./min, and the coefficient of linear thermal expansion was measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 1.

<Injection test>
The pellets produced in Examples 1 and 2 were put into an injection molding machine (manufactured by Nissei Resin Co., Ltd .: "NPX7-1F") to obtain a dumbbell test piece (thickness 2 mm). Molding was performed under the conditions that the heating cylinder temperature was 200 ° C. and the mold temperature was 40 ° C.

<Discussion>
The molded product made of the fine cellulose-containing resin composition of the example had excellent mechanical properties.
The reason for this is considered to be that water in a subcritical state during melt-kneading enhanced the dispersibility of the fine cellulose fibers with respect to the main resin.
On the other hand, the molded product of Comparative Example 1 was inferior in mechanical properties. It is considered that the reason for this is that the fine cellulose fibers tend to aggregate with each other due to the small amount of water during melt-kneading, resulting in poor dispersibility. Further, the molded product of Comparative Example 2 was also inferior in mechanical properties. It is considered that the reason for this is that the amount of heat generated was large and the fine cellulose fibers deteriorated because the water content during melt kneading was too large.
From the above, according to the method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition of the present invention, the fine cellulose fibers in the resin can be kneaded while suppressing deterioration and decomposition of the fine cellulose fibers, and extremely high dispersibility can be obtained. Understood. Furthermore, it is clear that by using the fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition of the present invention, a molded product such as a mechanical part having excellent mechanical properties can be produced.

Claims (7)

A sheet-like, lumpy or pellet-like cellulose dispersion material in which fine cellulose fibers are dispersed and containing a fiber dispersion resin and water , or a fragment of the sheet-like cellulose dispersion material and a main resin are used. Has a process of melting and kneading,
The fine cellulose fibers are fine cellulose fibers having an average fiber width of 2 to 15,000 nm and an average fiber length of 0.1 to 2.0 mm.
The ratio of water content to the total of the fine cellulose fibers and water content in the cellulose dispersion material is 20 to 60% by mass.
A method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition, wherein the melt-kneading is performed under the temperature and pressure conditions in which the water in the cellulose-dispersed material becomes subcritical. The fine cellulose fiber-containing material according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the fine cellulose fiber to the fiber dispersion resin (the fine cellulose fiber / the fiber dispersion resin) is 0.2 to 100 in the cellulose dispersion material. A method for producing a resin composition. Production method of the prior melt-kneading to step, the sheet-like cellulose dispersion material having a higher engineering that turn into strips, according to claim 1 or 2 fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to. The mixture dispersion containing pre Symbol fine cellulose fibers with the fiber-dispersing resin and water by dehydration, to form the sheet-shaped cellulose dispersion material, fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to claim 3 Manufacturing method. The method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main resin is pelletized in advance. The method for producing a fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fine cellulose fibers are derived from virgin pulp. A fine cellulose fiber-containing resin composition produced by the production method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.