KR20230142863A - Method of producing cellulose-based blending hydrogel, cellulose-based blending hydrogel therefrom and absorbent product comprising the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel having excellent both initial and final absorbency, a cellulose-based blended hydrogel manufactured from the same, and an absorbent product comprising the cellulose-based blended hydrogel. The method for manufacturing the cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to one embodiment of the present invention enables the hydrogel to be manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner without the use of organic solvents.

Description

Method for producing cellulose-based blending hydrogel, cellulose-based blending hydrogel prepared therefrom, and absorbent article comprising the same

The present invention relates to a method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel, a cellulose-based blended hydrogel prepared therefrom, and an absorbent article comprising the same. Specifically, it relates to a method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel with excellent initial and final moisture absorption rate, a cellulose-based blended hydrogel prepared therefrom, and an absorbent article containing the same.

Super absorbent polymer (SAP) is a hydrophilic polymer that can absorb water-soluble liquid tens to hundreds of times more than its own weight. It contains an aqueous solution but is insoluble, and can be maintained even when a load is applied while the aqueous solution is sufficiently absorbed. It is a functional material. It is widely used in various fields such as disposable sanitary products such as diapers for infants/adults and sanitary napkins for women, as well as absorbent pads and ice packs for food packaging, soil moisture regulators for agriculture/horticulture, and absorbent patches for medical use. However, SAP, which is used commercially, is manufactured based on non-degradable petroleum polymers, and causes serious environmental pollution, such as the generation of hazardous substances such as dioxins during the incineration and landfill process of SAP waste. There is a need to develop eco-friendly, highly absorbent materials that can replace SAP.

Cellulose, a natural biomass resource, is an eco-friendly material that exists abundantly in the natural world, and has a rich hydroxyl content, so it can be used as a highly absorbent polymer such as SAP. However, in the case of cellulose that has not been chemically treated such as a cross-linking reaction, it does not have a structure to retain moisture when absorbing moisture and flows as a highly viscous aqueous solution, so it cannot be applied to absorbent articles such as disposable sanitary products such as diapers and sanitary napkins. .

As an example of a method of manufacturing a cellulose-based highly absorbent polymer with a structure capable of retaining moisture to compensate for this problem, it is manufactured by adding an acrylic resin such as acrylic acid to modified cellulose in which the hydroxyl group of cellulose is replaced with a carboxyl group. There is a way to do it. However, the above acrylic resin is not only non-biodegradable but also toxic, so it can be harmful to the environment and the human body, and has the disadvantage of lowering physical properties compared to 100% petrochemical-based SAP.

As another example of a method of producing a cellulose-based highly absorbent polymer, modified cellulose in which the hydroxyl group of cellulose is replaced with a carboxyl group is mixed with epichlorohydrin-based compounds, aldehyde-based compounds, and glycidyl compounds. )-based compounds can be added to produce a three-dimensional network structure such as a hydrogel. However, when existing cellulose-based hydrogels are washed with water during the post-treatment process to wash away residual chemicals and unreacted samples immediately after gel generation, the gel absorbs water, making dehydration difficult and taking a long time to dry. Therefore, as a method to shorten the drying time, solvent substitution with organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol, and acetone has been mainly used in the past. However, washing, replacing and drying with an organic solvent not only requires a large cost, but also poses a risk of fire or explosion during the process.

Accordingly, technology can be developed to produce a non-toxic, eco-friendly, highly absorbent material that has equivalent physical properties, such as initial and final moisture absorption rate and moisture retention capacity, to SAP materials derived from existing fossil fuels, but is also biodegradable to protect the environment and the human body, especially Appropriate post-treatment process technology is needed.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel with excellent initial and final absorbability, a cellulose-based blended hydrogel prepared therefrom, and an absorbent article containing the same.

However, the problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to one aspect of the present invention, preparing a cellulose gel; Putting the cellulose gel into a porous casing and washing it to obtain a washed cellulose gel; Swelling the washed cellulose gel and first drying and first pulverizing the washed cellulose gel to produce a first cellulose-based hydrogel; Second drying and second pulverizing the washed cellulose gel to produce a second cellulose-based hydrogel; Mixing the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel; A method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel comprising a is provided.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a first cellulose-based hydrogel having an initial maximum moisture absorption of 45 g/g to 60 g/g; and a second cellulose-based hydrogel having a final maximum water absorption of 75 g/g to 100 g/g; wherein the initial maximum water absorption and the final maximum water absorption are respectively A cellulose-based blending hydrogel is provided, which is calculated by Equation 1 and Equation 2 below.

[Equation 1]

W ₁ = (M ₁ - M ₁₀ )/M ₁₀

[Equation 2]

W ₂ = (M ₂ - M ₂₀ )/M ₂₀

In Equation 1, M ₁₀ is the dry weight (g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel, and M ₁ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the first cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 10 minutes. , W ₁ is the initial maximum moisture absorption (g/g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel, and in Equation 2, M ₂₀ is the dry weight of the second cellulose-based hydrogel (g), and M ₂ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the second cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 24 hours, and W ₂ is the final maximum water absorption (g/g) of the second cellulose-based hydrogel.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an absorbent article including an absorbent structure including the cellulose-based blended hydrogel is provided.

The method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention can produce cellulose-based hydrogels with different physical properties by simple control of the manufacturing process, and can provide a blended hydrogel with excellent absorbency by mixing them. .

The method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention can produce a hydrogel in an environmentally friendly manner without using an organic solvent.

The method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide a hydrogel that is biodegradable and thus environmentally friendly and has an absorption performance comparable to that of a petrochemical-based superabsorbent resin.

The cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to one embodiment of the present invention may have excellent water absorption performance due to its high initial and final moisture absorption.

The absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied to applications of superabsorbent resins, including cellulose-based blended hydrogels with excellent absorbent performance.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from this specification.

Figure 1 is a flowchart of a method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In this specification, when a part “includes” a certain component, this means that it may further include other components rather than excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary.

Throughout this specification, when a member is said to be located “on” another member, this includes not only the case where the member is in contact with the other member, but also the case where another member exists between the two members.

Throughout the specification herein, the unit “part by weight” may refer to the ratio of weight between each component.

Throughout this specification, “A and/or B” means “A and B, or A or B.”

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, preparing a cellulose gel; washing the cellulose gel in a porous casing and obtaining a washed cellulose gel; Swelling the washed cellulose gel and first drying and first pulverizing the washed cellulose gel to produce a first cellulose-based hydrogel; Second drying and second pulverizing the washed cellulose gel to produce a second cellulose-based hydrogel; And mixing the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel; A method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel comprising a is provided.

The method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention can produce cellulose-based hydrogels with different physical properties by adjusting a simple manufacturing process, and mix them to provide a blended hydrogel with excellent absorbency. , Hydrogel can be produced in an environmentally friendly manner without the use of organic solvents, and is biodegradable, so it is environmentally friendly and can provide a hydrogel with absorption performance comparable to that of petrochemical superabsorbent resin.

Hereinafter, each step of the method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail in order with reference to FIG. 1.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, first, a cellulose gel is prepared (S10). Cellulose gel is formed by crosslinking cellulose, an eco-friendly polymer, and can be a precursor for cellulose-based blending hydrogel that can provide an eco-friendly absorbent.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, preparing the cellulose gel includes preparing a cellulose suspension containing a solvent and a cellulose raw material containing at least one of a cellulose derivative and a cellulose fiber; and adding a cross-linking agent and a basic catalyst to the cellulose suspension to prepare a cellulose gel.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose raw material may include at least one of a cellulose-based derivative and cellulose fiber. That is, the cellulose raw material may include a cellulose derivative, cellulose fiber, or both a cellulose derivative and cellulose fiber.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose fiber is produced by manufacturing pulp using biomass raw materials; and manufacturing the cellulose fibers containing at least one of cellulose microfibers and cellulose nanofibrils from the pulp.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the biomass raw material may include at least one of a lignocellulosic biomass raw material and a non-lignocellulosic biomass raw material. Specifically, the lignocellulosic biomass raw material may include at least one of coniferous wood chips and broadleaf wood chips, but the type of the lignocellulosic biomass raw material is not limited. In addition, the non-lignocellulosic biomass raw material may include at least one of bamboo, kenaf, hemp, rice, bagasse, seaweed, corn stalks, corn cores, rice straw, rice husk, wheat straw, and sugarcane stalks. However, the type of non-lignocellulosic biomass raw material is not limited. By using the above-described types of biomass raw materials, it is possible to manufacture cellulose-based hydrogel, which is highly biodegradable and an eco-friendly material.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of manufacturing the pulp may include reacting the biomass raw material with a mixed solvent of a glycol ether-based solvent and an acid. In other words, organic solvent pulp can be manufactured using the biomass raw material. Specifically, pulp can be formed by reacting biomass raw materials with a mixed solvent of a glycol ether-based solvent and an acid. When pulp is formed by reacting biomass raw materials with a mixed solvent of a glycol ether solvent and an acid, physical properties such as water absorption rate and water retention amount of the produced hydrogel can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mixed solvent may be a mixture of a glycol ether-based solvent and an acid. The glycol ether-based solvent includes ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, and It may include at least one of dipropylene glycol methyl ether. However, the type of glycol ether-based solvent is not limited. Additionally, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, etc. may be used as the acid, but the type of acid is not limited.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mixed solvent may have a volume ratio of the glycol ether-based solvent and the acid of 95:5 to 99:1. Specifically, the volume ratio of the glycol ether-based solvent and the acid included in the mixed solvent may be 96:4 to 98.5:1.5, 96.5:3.5 to 98:2, or 97:3 to 97.5:2.5. When the volume ratio of the glycol ether-based solvent and the acid included in the mixed solvent is within the above-mentioned range, pulp can be effectively manufactured from the biomass raw material.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of forming the pulp may be performed by reacting the mixed solvent at a mixing ratio of 1L to 3L with respect to 1 kg of the biomass raw material. Specifically, the mixing ratio of the mixed solvent for 1 kg of the biomass raw material may be 1.5L to 2.5L, or 2L. By adjusting the mixing ratio of the biomass raw material and the mixed solvent to the above-mentioned range, the yield of the pulp produced can be improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of forming the pulp may be performed at a temperature of 100°C or more and 150°C or less. Specifically, the temperature in the step of forming the pulp may be 110°C or higher and 140°C or lower, or 120°C or higher and 130°C or lower. By controlling the temperature at which the pulp forming step is performed within the above-described range, the pulp can be stably formed from the biomass raw material.

Additionally, the step of forming the pulp may be performed for a period of time between 60 minutes and 180 minutes, between 90 minutes and 160 minutes, or between 120 minutes and 150 minutes. When the time for performing the step of forming the pulp is within the above-mentioned range, the pulp can be stably formed and the yield of the pulp can be improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of producing the pulp may be performed from the biomass raw material through a chemical pulping method, a mechanical pulping method, or a chemical-mechanical pulping method. In addition, the step of manufacturing the pulp may produce kraft pulp, sulfurous acid pulp, seaweed pulp, etc. using the biomass raw materials. Additionally, the produced pulp may be bleached and used or may be used without bleaching.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the manufactured pulp can be washed. Specifically, distilled water can be used to remove impurities contained in the pulp. Through this, it is possible to effectively prevent the physical properties of the produced hydrogel from deteriorating.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of producing the cellulose fiber includes mixing the pulp with a basic solution to prepare a pulp slurry; and adding the pulp slurry to a mixer and kneading it to produce the cellulose microfibers and cellulose fibrils. That is, by performing the above process, cellulose fibers can be manufactured from the pulp.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the basic solution may include a sodium hydroxide solution, a potassium hydroxide solution, and a lithium hydroxide solution, but the type of the basic solution is not limited.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the concentration of the basic solution included in the pulp slurry may be 0.1 N or more and 1 N or less. Specifically, the concentration of the basic solution may be 0.15 N or more and 0.8 N or less, 0.2 N or more and 0.6 N or less, or 0.25 N or more and 0.5 N or less. When the concentration of the basic solution is within the above-mentioned range, cellulose fibers can be effectively formed from the pulp slurry.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pH of the pulp slurry may be 8 or more and 14 or less. Specifically, the pH of the pulp slurry may be 9 or more and 13 or less, or 10 or more and 12 or less. By adjusting the pH of the pulp slurry to the above-mentioned range, cellulose fibers can be effectively formed from the pulp slurry. In addition, when the pH of the pulp slurry is within the above-mentioned range, swelling of the fibers included in the pulp slurry is promoted, and finer cellulose fibers can be effectively manufactured through the kneading process described later.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, with respect to 100 parts by weight of the pulp slurry, the content of the pulp may be 3 parts by weight or more and 15 parts by weight or less. Specifically, with respect to 100 parts by weight of the pulp slurry, the pulp content is 4.5 parts by weight or more and 12.5 parts by weight or less, 5 parts by weight or more and 10 parts by weight or less, 3 parts by weight or more and 10 parts by weight or less, or 7.5 parts by weight or more. It may be less than one part by weight. For example, the content of the pulp included in the pulp slurry may be 3% by weight or more and 15% by weight or less.

By adjusting the content of the pulp included in the pulp slurry to the above-mentioned range, friction and dispersion between fibers are efficiently performed during the kneading process using a mixer, so that micronized cellulose fibers can be easily manufactured. On the other hand, if the content of the pulp included in the pulp slurry is too small, the friction efficiency between fibers is reduced, making it impossible to easily manufacture micronized cellulose fibers. In addition, when the content of the pulp contained in the pulp slurry is too large, the pulp slurry has a high viscosity and there is a problem in that kneading is not performed smoothly.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the kneading step may be performed at a rotation speed of 100 rpm or more and 600 rpm or less. Specifically, the rotation speed at which the kneading step is performed may be 150 rpm or more and 550 rpm or less, 200 rpm or more and 500 rpm or less, 250 rpm or more and 450 rpm or less, or 300 rpm or more and 400 rpm or less. By adjusting the rotational speed at which the kneading step is performed within the above-mentioned range, the cellulose fibers to be manufactured can be formed more stably. The rotation speed may refer to the rotation speed of the mixer used in the kneading step.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the kneading step may be performed at a temperature of 20°C or more and 35°C or less. By adjusting the temperature of the kneading step to the above-mentioned range, deformation and damage of the manufactured fiber can be prevented.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method for producing cellulose fiber can control the physical properties of the produced cellulose fiber by adjusting the time for performing the kneading. Specifically, the step of performing the kneading may be performed for 1 hour or more and 3 hours or less. Through this, the physical properties of the produced hydrogel, such as water absorption rate and water retention amount, can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mixer into which the pulp slurry is added is a kneader and may be a Hobart mixer, a spiral mixer, or a vertical mixer. However, the type of mixer is not limited, and any known device capable of applying shear force to the pulp slurry can be used.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of producing the cellulose fiber may include producing the cellulose fibril by homogenizing the pulp. Specifically, cellulose fibrils can be produced by homogenizing the above-described organic solvent pulp. Through this, cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) or microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) can be manufactured. In order to homogenize the pulp, a high-pressure homogenizer, a high-pressure emulsifier, etc. used in the art can be used. For example, when homogenizing the pulp using a high-pressure homogenizer, the number of times the pulp is passed through the high-pressure homogenizer, the operating pressure of the high-pressure homogenizer, etc. are adjusted to adjust the size, shape, etc. of the cellulose fibrils to be produced. You can control it.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the lignin content of the cellulose fiber may be 30% by weight or less. That is, the lignin content of the cellulose microfibers manufactured from the pulp may be 30% by weight or less, and the lignin content of the cellulose fibrils manufactured from the pulp may be 30% by weight or less. Specifically, the lignin content of the produced cellulose fiber is 0.1% by weight or more and 30% by weight or less, 1% by weight or more and 28% by weight or less, 5% by weight or more and 25% by weight or less, 10% by weight or more and 22.5% by weight or less, or 15% by weight. It may be more than 20% by weight and less than 20% by weight. Meanwhile, by bleaching the prepared cellulose fiber to remove lignin, cellulose fiber with a lignin content of 0% by weight can be formed.

When the lignin content of the cellulose fiber is within the above-mentioned range, the physical properties of the produced hydrogel, such as water absorption rate, initial water absorption rate, and water retention amount, can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the size of the cellulose fiber may be 0.1 ㎛ or more and 500 ㎛ or less. That is, the size of the cellulose microfibers manufactured from the pulp may be 0.1 ㎛ or more and 500 ㎛ or less, and the size of the cellulose fibrils manufactured from the pulp may be 0.1 ㎛ or more and 500 ㎛ or less. Specifically, the size of the cellulose fiber is 1 ㎛ to 475 ㎛, 5 ㎛ to 450 ㎛, 10 ㎛ to 400 ㎛, 20 ㎛ to 375 ㎛, 30 ㎛ to 350 ㎛, 40 ㎛ to 320 ㎛. , 0.1 ㎛ or more and 100 ㎛ or less, 10 ㎛ or more and 100 ㎛ or less, 15 ㎛ or more and 97.5 ㎛ or less, 20 ㎛ or more and 95 ㎛ or less, or 25 ㎛ or more and 92.5 ㎛ or less. When the size of the cellulose fiber is within the above-mentioned range, the physical properties such as water absorption rate and water retention amount of the produced hydrogel can be effectively improved. Additionally, the size of the cellulose fiber may mean the average size of the particles.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, after the step of manufacturing the cellulose fiber, a process of replacing the cellulose fiber may be further performed. Specifically, the hydroxyl group present in the repeating unit of the above-described cellulose fiber can be replaced by acetylation or esterification reaction.

For example, the process of replacing the cellulose fiber may include adding an alkaline agent, a carboxymethylating agent, and an organic solvent or an aqueous organic solvent solution to the cellulose fiber to form a mixed solvent, and then causing a carboxymethylation reaction under the mixed solvent. Through this, carboxymethyl cellulose nanofibrils (CNCNF) or microfibrillated carboxymethyl cellulose (MFCMC) can be manufactured. When replacing the cellulose fiber, the hydroxyl group present in the cellulose can be replaced by a substitution reaction, and carboxymethyl is produced by adjusting the content, reaction temperature, reaction time, etc. of the alkaline agent, carboxymethylating agent, and organic solvent. The degree of substitution (D.S.) of cellulose fibers can be adjusted. For example, if all three hydroxy groups present in the repeating unit of cellulose are substituted, the degree of substitution can have a maximum value of 3, and if only one hydroxy group is substituted, the degree of substitution can have a value of 1. The degree of substitution can be calculated by dividing the total number of substituents in cellulose by the total number of repeating units.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose derivative may include at least one of alkyl-based substituted cellulose, carboxy-based substituted cellulose, acetyl-based substituted cellulose, nitro-based substituted cellulose, and hydroxy-based substituted cellulose. For example, the cellulose-based derivative may be one in which the hydroxyl group present in the repeating unit of cellulose is substituted through an acetylation or esterification reaction.

Specifically, the alkyl-substituted cellulose may include at least one of methyl cellulose (MC), dimethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose (EC), and methyl ethyl cellulose. Additionally, the carboxy-based substituted cellulose may include at least one of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), carboxymethylethyl cellulose, and carboxyethylmethyl cellulose. Additionally, the acetyl-based substituted cellulose may include at least one of cellulose acetate (CA), triacetyl cellulose (TAC), acetylmethyl cellulose, and acetylethyl cellulose. Additionally, the nitro-substituted cellulose may be cellulose nitrate (CN). In addition, the hydroxy-substituted cellulose includes hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and hydroxybutylmethyl. It may contain at least one of cellulose. When the cellulose raw material contains the above-mentioned cellulose derivative, the physical properties of the produced hydrogel, such as water absorption rate, initial water absorption rate, and water retention amount, can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the cellulose raw material includes both the cellulose derivative and the cellulose fiber, the weight ratio of the cellulose derivative and the cellulose fiber may be 10:1 to 1:10. Specifically, the weight ratio of the cellulose-based derivative and the cellulose fiber may be 7:1 to 1:7, 5:1 to 1:5, or 3:1 to 1:3. When the weight ratio of the cellulose-based derivative and the cellulose fiber is within the above-mentioned range, physical properties such as water absorption rate and water retention amount of the produced hydrogel can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cellulose suspension can be prepared by mixing the cellulose raw material and a solvent. As the solvent, distilled water, water, brine, acetone, ethanol, methanol, etc. can be used alone or as a mixed solvent of two or more types. When using the solvent, it is easy to mix with the cellulose raw material, so the hydrogel can be effectively produced.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the content of the cellulose raw material may be 1 part by weight or more and 10 parts by weight or less, based on 100 parts by weight of the cellulose suspension. Specifically, the content of the cellulose fiber contained in the cellulose suspension is 1 part by weight or more and 7 parts by weight or less, 1 part by weight or more and 5 parts by weight or less, and 1 part by weight or more and 3 parts by weight or less, based on 100 parts by weight of the cellulose suspension. , 3 parts by weight or more and 10 parts by weight or less, 3 parts by weight or more and 7 parts by weight or less, 3 parts by weight or more and 5 parts by weight or less, or 2.5 parts by weight or more and 4.5 parts by weight or less. By adjusting the content of the cellulose raw material contained in the cellulose suspension to the above-mentioned range, the hydrogel can be effectively manufactured, and the physical properties such as water absorption and water retention of the produced hydrogel can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a cellulose gel can be prepared by adding a cross-linking agent and a basic catalyst to the cellulose suspension.

Due to the action of the cross-linking agent and basic catalyst, cellulose in chain form can be cross-linked to form a hydrogel. By adding the basic catalyst to the cellulose suspension, the crosslinking reaction between the cellulose reactors can be promoted. Additionally, by using the basic catalyst, there is an advantage in that the cross-linking reaction time can be shortened and the temperature at which the cross-linking reaction is performed can be lowered.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the crosslinking agent may include at least one of an epoxy-based compound and an aldehyde-based compound.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the crosslinking agent may include an epoxy-based compound. Specifically, the epoxy-based compound is epichlorohydrin, glycerol diglycidyl ether, glycerol polyglycidyl ether, diglycerol polyglycidyl ether, polyglycerol polyglycidyl ether, and ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether. , Diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, propylene glycol diglycidyl ether, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, dipropylene glycol diglycidyl ether, polypropylene glycol diglycidyl ether, resorcinol digly Sidyl ether, neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether, 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether, hydrogenated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, polybutadiene diglycidyl ether, trimethylolpropane polyglycidyl ether , sorbitol polyglycidyl ether, or pentaerythritol polyglycidyl ether. More specifically, the epoxy-based compound may include at least two glycidyl groups in its molecular structure. By using an epoxy-based compound as the crosslinking agent, crosslinking between the cellulose reactive groups can be effectively formed. Additionally, when an epoxy-based compound is used as a cross-linking agent, the cellulose-based hydrogel produced can be gelled upon immersion in water to form a structure that stably retains moisture.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the crosslinking agent may include an aldehyde-based compound. Specifically, the aldehyde compounds include glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, dialdehyde starch, succinic acid aldehyde, acrylic aldehyde, oxalaldehyde, 2-methylacrylaldehyde, 2-oxopropanal, dextrin aldehyde, grioxal, succinic aldehyde, and It may contain at least one of dipaldehyde. By using an aldehyde-based compound as the cross-linking agent, cross-linking between the cellulose fibers can be effectively formed, and thereby a hydrogel with a three-dimensional network structure can be stably formed. Through this, the physical properties of the produced cellulose-based hydrogel, such as water absorption rate, water retention amount, and elastic recovery force, can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cross-linking agent may be added in an amount of 0.1 to 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the suspension. Specifically, the content of the cross-linking agent added to the suspension is 0.3 to 8.5 parts by weight, 0.5 to 7 parts by weight, 1 to 5 parts by weight, 1 to 3 parts by weight, and 0.1 to 5 parts by weight. It may be parts by weight, 0.5 parts by weight to 3.5 parts by weight, or 1 part by weight to 2 parts by weight. When the content of the cross-linking agent contained in the suspension is within the above-mentioned range, cross-linking between the cellulose fibers can be effectively formed, and thereby a hydrogel having a three-dimensional network structure can be stably formed. Through this, the physical properties of the produced cellulose-based hydrogel, such as water absorption rate, water retention amount, and elastic recovery force, can be effectively improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the basic catalyst may include at least one of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and lithium hydroxide.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the basic catalyst may be added in an amount of 0.1 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the suspension. Specifically, the content of the basic catalyst added to the cellulose suspension is 0.3 to 8.5 parts by weight, 0.5 to 7 parts by weight, 1 to 5 parts by weight, 1 to 3 parts by weight, and 0.1 parts by weight. It may be from 5 parts by weight, 0.5 to 3.5 parts by weight, or 1 to 2 parts by weight. When the content of the basic catalyst added to the cellulose suspension is within the above-mentioned range, the cross-linking reaction between the cellulose fibers can be effectively promoted, thereby reducing the manufacturing process time of the cellulose-based hydrogel and improving manufacturing efficiency.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of preparing the cellulose gel may be performed by adding the cross-linking agent and the basic catalyst to the cellulose suspension, stirring the mixture, and then allowing the reaction to proceed for a predetermined time. During the stirring process, the cellulose raw material, cross-linking agent, and basic catalyst may be uniformly mixed, and a cross-linking reaction between cellulose fibers may proceed in a uniformly mixed state to form a cellulose gel.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of preparing the cellulose gel is carried out at 20 ℃ to 100 ℃, 25 ℃ to 85 ℃, 30 ℃ to 70 ℃, 35 ℃ to 55 ℃, 40 ℃ to 100 ℃, 50 ℃ At a temperature of 90° C. to 90° C., or 60° C. to 80° C., the cross-linking agent and the basic catalyst are added to the cellulose suspension for 5 minutes to 60 minutes, 5 minutes to 50 minutes, 5 minutes to 30 minutes, 5 minutes to 20 minutes. Alternatively, it may be performed by stirring for 5 minutes to 10 minutes and then allowing the reaction to proceed for 5 minutes to 3 hours, 15 minutes to 160 minutes, 30 minutes to 140 minutes, 45 minutes to 120 minutes, or 60 minutes to 90 minutes. there is. By adjusting the temperature and time for preparing the cellulose gel within the above range, the cellulose gel can be stably manufactured from the cellulose suspension.

The method for producing a cellulose-based hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes, after preparing the cellulose gel, immersing the cellulose gel in an aqueous solution of pH 7 or less to remove the basic catalyst to produce a neutralized cellulose gel. Obtaining; It may further include. By adding the cellulose gel to an aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower, that is, an acidic aqueous solution, the basic catalyst contained therein may be removed by neutralization. When obtaining a neutralized cellulose gel, the basic catalyst can be removed more reliably and quickly than when washing the cellulose gel with water only.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower may contain an acidic compound including at least one of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and acetic acid, but the type of acid is not limited.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the acidic compound may be included at a concentration of 0.01 N to 5 N in the aqueous solution of pH 7 or less. Specifically, the acidic compound may be included in the aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower at a concentration of 0.01 N to 3 N, 0.1 N to 1 N, 1 N to 3 N, or 3 N to 5 N. By adjusting the concentration of the acidic compound to the above-mentioned range, neutralization of the cellulose gel may be easier, and if the acid concentration is higher than the above-mentioned range, hydrolysis may occur and the cross-linked structure of the hydrogel may be destroyed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of obtaining the neutralized cellulose gel may be performed by immersing the cellulose gel in an aqueous solution of pH 7 or less for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Specifically, the step of obtaining the neutralized cellulose gel includes placing the cellulose gel in an aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower for 30 minutes to 18 hours, 30 minutes to 12 hours, 30 minutes to 10 hours, 30 minutes to 8 hours, or 30 minutes. It may be performed by immersion for up to 6 hours. By adjusting the time for immersing the cellulose gel within the above-mentioned range, neutralization of the gel and washing of the remaining cross-linking agent can be performed efficiently.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of the cellulose gel to the aqueous solution of pH 7 or less may be 1:1 to 1:20. Specifically, the weight ratio of the cellulose gel to the aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower is 1:1 to 19:1, 1:1 to 18:1, 5:1 to 17:1, 5:1 to 16:1, 6: 1 to 20:1, 7:1 to 20:1, 8:1 to 20:1, 9:1 to 20:1, 10:1 to 20:1, 7:1 to 18:1 or 9:1 to It may be 16:1. By using a cellulose gel and an aqueous solution of pH 7 or less within the above weight ratio range, neutralization of the gel and washing of the remaining cross-linking agent can be performed efficiently.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of obtaining the neutralized cellulose gel may include placing the cellulose gel in a porous casing and immersing it in an aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the porous casing may be a mesh network, but is not limited thereto, and is porous that can maintain a shape in which a solvent such as water can move but a gel cannot expand through it. Casing can be used without restrictions.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mesh network may be 10 mesh to 300 mesh. Specifically, the mesh network may be 10 mesh to 200 mesh, 50 mesh to 100 mesh, 100 mesh to 300 mesh, or 200 mesh to 300 mesh. When using a mesh network with a size within the above range, excessive swelling of the cellulose gel by water in an aqueous solution of pH 7 or lower during neutralization can be suppressed, making dehydration and drying of the cellulose gel easier. Economic efficiency and safety can be improved by shortening the drying time of the gel without using a separate organic solvent in the post-treatment process.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose gel is placed in a porous casing and washed to obtain the washed cellulose gel (S20). The cellulose gel may or may not have undergone the above-described neutralization process. If the cellulose gel has not gone through a neutralization process, the remaining cross-linking agent or basic catalyst may be removed through a washing process by dilution.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the porous casing may be a mesh network, but is not limited thereto, and is porous that can maintain a shape in which a solvent such as water can move but a gel cannot expand through it. Casing can be used without restrictions.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mesh network may be 10 mesh to 300 mesh. Specifically, the mesh network may be 10 mesh to 200 mesh, 50 mesh to 100 mesh, 100 mesh to 300 mesh, or 200 mesh to 300 mesh. When using a mesh network with a size within the above range, excessive swelling of the cellulose gel by water during washing can be suppressed, making dehydration and drying of the cellulose gel easier, and a separate process can be used in the post-treatment process. Economic efficiency and safety can be improved by shortening the drying time of the gel without using organic solvents.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the washing may be performed by placing the cellulose gel in the porous casing and immersing it in water for 1 hour to 48 hours. Specifically, the washing may be performed by placing the cellulose gel in the porous casing and immersing it in water for 2 hours to 48 hours, 2 hours to 40 hours, 2 hours to 7 hours, or 7 hours to 40 hours. The washing time can be adjusted so that the cellulose gel is completely washed, and when the neutralization is performed, the washing time can be shortened.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the washing may be performed by placing the cellulose gel in the porous casing, immersing it in water, and replacing the water at regular intervals. Considering the principle of concentration balance, if cleaning is performed while replacing water, cleaning can be performed more quickly and water usage can be reduced.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the washing may be stopped after measuring the pH of the cellulose gel and the water in which the cellulose gel was immersed, confirming that washing is completed at pH 7. That is, after neutralization and/or washing have sufficiently progressed and it has been confirmed by pH measurement that the basic catalyst has been removed, washing may be stopped.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of the cellulose gel to the water may be 1:1 to 1:20. Specifically, the weight ratio of the cellulose gel to water is 1:1 to 1:19, 1:1 to 18, 1:5 to 1:17, 1:5 to 1:16, 1:6 to 1:20, 1: It may be 7 to 1:20, 1:8 to 1:20, 1:9 to 1:20, 1:10 to 1:20, 1:7 to 1:18, or 1:9 to 1:16. By using cellulose gel and water within the above weight ratio range, the remaining crosslinking agent and basic catalyst of the gel can be efficiently washed. The weight of water in the above weight ratio is the amount of water replaced and immersed in the cellulose gel, and does not mean the total amount of water used for replacement.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the washed cellulose gel is swollen and subjected to first drying and first pulverization to prepare a first cellulose-based hydrogel (S30). The “swelling” may be performed by immersing the washed cellulose gel in water, and a separate porous casing may or may not be used.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the swelling is performed when the weight ratio of the cellulose gel to water is 1:0.5 to 1:5, 1:0.5 to 1:4, 1:0.5 to 1:3.5, 1:1 to 1:3.5. , 1:1 to 1:3, 1:1.5 to 1:3.5, 1:1 to 1:2.5, or 1:2 to 1:3.5, the washed cellulose gel may be immersed in the water. That is, the swelling may be performed by immersing the washed cellulose gel in water having the above weight ratio based on the weight of the cellulose gel before washing. When swelling is performed with cellulose gel and water having a weight ratio within the above range, the initial absorption amount of the first cellulose-based hydrogel produced later may be high, so the amount of water initially absorbed in the dry state may be large, and the instantaneous initial absorption amount is important. Can be applied to products.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the swelling is performed when the solid content is 1.0% to 5.0% by weight, 1.0% to 4.0% by weight, 1.0% to 3.5% by weight, 1.5% to 3.5% by weight, or 1.5% by weight. This may be performed by immersing the washed cellulose gel in water to a concentration of % to 3.0% by weight. When swelling is performed to achieve a solid content within the above range, the initial absorption amount of the first cellulose-based hydrogel produced later may be high, so the amount of water initially absorbed in the dry state may be large, and it may be applied to products where instantaneous initial absorption amount is important. You can.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, after the swelling, first drying and first pulverization are performed to prepare a first cellulose-based hydrogel. Through the first drying and first grinding, a first cellulose-based hydrogel that can be applied to products can be manufactured.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first drying may be performed by one or more methods selected from hot air drying, reduced pressure drying, or microwave drying. For example, after the swelling, a drying step may be performed by further performing hot air drying after microwave drying. By drying by the above method, the finally produced first cellulose-based hydrogel can be gelled upon immersion in water even after drying to form a structure that stably retains water, and can have excellent initial water absorption and high water absorption rate. . In addition, drying time can be shortened compared to natural drying and low-temperature drying methods below 60°C, and efficient mass production at low cost can be possible.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first drying may be performed at a temperature of 60°C or more and 200°C or less under conditions of normal pressure (1 ± 0.2 atm) for a period of time between 1 hour and 24 hours. That is, the hydrogel can be dried through hot air drying.

Specifically, the hot air drying may be performed at a temperature of 60°C or higher and 200°C or lower, 800°C or higher and 200°C or lower, 100°C or higher and 200°C or lower, or 105°C or higher and 200°C or lower. Additionally, the hot air drying may be performed for 1 hour to 24 hours, 1 hour to 10 hours, 1 hour to 6 hours, 1 hour to 3 hours, or 3 hours to 6 hours. When the temperature and time range of the hot air drying are within the above-mentioned range, heat damage to the first cellulose-based hydrogel can be prevented, and the cross-linked structure of the first cellulose-based hydrogel can be more easily formed. You can. In addition, by adjusting the temperature and time at which the hot air drying is performed within the above-mentioned range, moisture in the first cellulose-based hydrogel can be quickly and effectively removed, thereby stably maintaining the cross-linked structure of the first cellulose-based hydrogel. It can be formed. In addition, compared to low-temperature drying methods that require a long drying time, hydrogels can be dried in a short time at low cost, making it possible to efficiently manufacture large quantities of hydrogels.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first drying may be performed at a pressure of 1 mTorr to 50 mTorr and a temperature of 60°C to 200°C for a period of time from 1 hour to 24 hours. That is, the hydrogel can be dried through high temperature and reduced pressure drying.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure at which the reduced pressure drying is performed is 1 mTorr or more and 50 mTorr or less, 5 mTorr or more and 45 mTorr or less, 10 mTorr or more and 40 mTorr or less, 15 mTorr or more and 35 mTorr or less, or 20 mTorr or more and 30 mTorr or less. It may be less than mTorr. By adjusting the pressure at which reduced pressure drying is performed to the above-mentioned range, moisture within the hydrogel can be quickly and effectively removed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when drying the hydrogel at high temperature and reduced pressure, the temperature at which the reduced pressure drying is performed is 60 ℃ or more and 200 ℃ or less, 800 ℃ or more and 200 ℃ or less, 100 ℃ or more and 200 ℃ or less, or 105 °C or more. It can be performed at a temperature of ℃ or higher and 200 ℃ or lower. Additionally, the hot air drying may be performed for 1 hour to 24 hours, 1 hour to 10 hours, 1 hour to 6 hours, 1 hour to 3 hours, or 3 hours to 6 hours. If the temperature, pressure, and time range of the reduced pressure drying are within the range, heat damage to the hydrogel can be prevented, and the formation of an absorbent structure of the cellulose-based hydrogel can be facilitated. By adjusting the temperature, pressure, and time at which the reduced pressure drying is performed within the above-mentioned range, the solvent frozen in the hydrogel can be quickly and effectively removed, thereby stably forming a crosslinked structure of the cellulose-based hydrogel. there is. In addition, energy efficiency is increased and hydrogels can be dried in a short time at low cost, making it possible to efficiently manufacture large quantities of hydrogels. Additionally, the produced hydrogel may have a moisture absorption rate suitable for application to an absorbent material.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first grinding may be grinding the dried cellulose gel to a size of 0.1 mm to 50 mm in diameter. Specifically, the grinding is performed to grind the dried cellulose gel to a diameter of 0.1 mm to 30.0 mm, 0.1 mm to 10.0 mm, 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm, 10.0 mm to 50.0 mm, 10.0 mm to 30.0 mm, 20.0 mm to 50.0 mm, or 20.0 mm. It may be pulverized to a size of 30.0 mm. When grinding is performed by adjusting the particle size within the above-mentioned range, the water absorption rate and maximum water retention of the produced hydrogel can be effectively improved. Additionally, the grinding may be performed by a conventional method, such as grinding using a grinder.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the washed cellulose gel is subjected to second drying and second grinding to prepare a second cellulose-based hydrogel (S40). In other words, the second cellulose-based hydrogel does not undergo a separate swelling process, so the final water absorption amount, that is, the total water absorption amount when immersed in water for a long time, can be high, and as a result, it is a product that needs to absorb a large amount of moisture for a long time. It may be suitable for application to .

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second drying and second grinding may be independently applied in the same manner as the first drying and first grinding.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of preparing the first cellulose-based hydrogel (S30) and the step of preparing the second cellulose-based hydrogel (S40) are independent steps, and the step of preparing the second cellulose-based hydrogel is The manufacturing step (S40) may be performed before the manufacturing step (S30) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel are mixed (S50). As described above, by mixing the first cellulose-based hydrogel with high initial water absorption and the second cellulose-based hydrogel with high final water absorption (long-term water absorption) to produce a blended hydrogel, both the initial water absorption and final water absorption are obtained. It can be applied to high-quality products.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the mixing method is not particularly limited and may be mixed using a method generally used in the relevant technical field.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a first cellulose-based hydrogel having an initial maximum moisture absorption of 45 g/g to 60 g/g; and a second cellulose-based hydrogel having a final maximum water absorption of 75 g/g to 100 g/g; wherein the initial maximum water absorption and the final maximum water absorption are respectively A cellulose-based blending hydrogel is provided, which is calculated by Equation 1 and Equation 2 below.

[Equation 1]

W ₁ = (M ₁ - M ₁₀ )/M ₁₀

[Equation 2]

W ₂ = (M ₂ - M ₂₀ )/M ₂₀

In Equation 1, M ₁₀ is the dry weight (g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel, and M ₁ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the first cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 10 minutes. , W ₁ is the initial maximum moisture absorption (g/g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel, and in Equation 2, M ₂₀ is the dry weight of the second cellulose-based hydrogel (g), and M ₂ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the second cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 24 hours, and W ₂ is the final maximum water absorption (g/g) of the second cellulose-based hydrogel.

The cellulose-based hydrogel according to one embodiment of the present invention may have excellent absorbency and elasticity, and specifically, may have excellent water absorption due to high initial and final moisture absorption.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first cellulose-based hydrogel has an initial maximum moisture absorption of 45 g/g to 60 g/g, 45 g/g to 55 g/g, or 45 g/g to 50 g/ g, and the second cellulose-based hydrogel may have a final maximum moisture absorption of 75 g/g to 100 g/g, 75 g/g to 95 g/g, or 75 g/g to 90 g/g. . When the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel having an initial or final maximum moisture absorption within the above range are included, both the initial and final moisture absorption amounts of the cellulose-based blended hydrogel are high, and thus the absorbency may be excellent.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel is 1:5 to 5:1, 1:5 to 4:2, and 2:4 to 5:1. , 1:5 to 3:3, 2:4 to 4:2, 3:3 to 5:1, 2:4 to 3:3, or 3:3 to 4:2. Within the above weight ratio range, the weight ratio of the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel can be adjusted depending on the purpose of the product to which the cellulose-based blended hydrogel is ultimately applied.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the initial maximum moisture absorption amount is calculated using Equation 1 below.

[Equation 1]

W ₁ = (M ₁ - M ₁₀ )/M ₁₀

In Equation 1, M ₁₀ is the dry weight (g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel, and M ₁ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the first cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 10 minutes. , and W ₁ is the initial maximum moisture absorption (g/g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel.

That is, the initial maximum moisture absorption is a parameter representing the weight of moisture contained when the dry first cellulose-based hydrogel is immersed in saline solution for 10 minutes, based on the dry weight of the first cellulose-based hydrogel. When the value of the initial maximum moisture absorption is large, the water content that the first cellulose-based hydrogel can absorb for 10 minutes is high, so it can absorb a large amount of moisture within a short time after immersion, and when the instantaneous initial absorption amount is important. It may be contained in a larger amount than the secondary cellulose-based hydrogel.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the final maximum moisture absorption amount is calculated using Equation 2 below.

[Equation 2]

W ₂ = (M ₂ - M ₂₀ )/M ₂₀

In Equation 2, M ₂₀ is the dry weight (g) of the second cellulose-based hydrogel, and M ₂ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the second cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 24 hours. , W ₂ is the final maximum water absorption (g/g) of the second cellulose-based hydrogel

That is, the final maximum moisture absorption is a parameter representing the weight of moisture contained when the dry second cellulose-based hydrogel is immersed in saline solution for 24 hours, based on the dry weight of the second cellulose-based hydrogel. . When the value of the final maximum water absorption is large, the water content that the secondary cellulose-based hydrogel can absorb for 24 hours is high, so it can absorb a large amount of water for a long time after immersion, and it is necessary to absorb a large amount of water for a long time. If present, it may be included in a larger amount than the first cellulose-based hydrogel.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel may satisfy Equation 3 below.

[Equation 3]

25 ≤ W ₂ - W ₁ ≤ 40

That is, the difference between the final maximum moisture absorption of the second cellulose-based hydrogel and the initial maximum moisture absorption of the first cellulose-based hydrogel may be 25 g/g to 40 g/g. When the difference value is within the above range, both the initial and final maximum moisture absorption amounts are excellent, so the absorbency of the cellulose-based blended hydrogel may be excellent.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an absorbent article including an absorbent structure including the cellulose-based blended hydrogel is provided.

The absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied to applications of superabsorbent resins, including cellulose-based blended hydrogels with excellent absorbent performance.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent article may include at least one of a sanitary product, a soil moisture regulator, an absorbent pad, an ice pack, and a hydropatch. Specifically, the absorbent article may include at least one of diapers for infants and adults, sanitary products such as sanitary napkins for women, soil moisture regulators for agriculture or horticulture, absorbent pads for food packaging, ice packs, and medical hydropatches. The above-described types of absorbent articles include an absorbent structure containing the hydrogel, so they have excellent moisture absorption rate and are biodegradable, so they can be environmentally friendly by reducing environmental pollution generated during incineration and landfill processes.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples. However, the embodiments according to the present invention may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described below. The embodiments of this specification are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art.

Manufacturing Example 1

As a cellulose raw material, carboxymethyl cellulose with a degree of substitution of 0.8 was mixed with distilled water to prepare a cellulose suspension. At this time, based on 100 parts by weight of the suspension, the content of carboxymethyl cellulose was 3 parts by weight.

Afterwards, sodium hydroxide (NaOH, Sodium hydroxide beads, DAEJUNG Chemicals & Metals co. Ltd., Korea) as a basic catalyst and epichlorohydrin (ECH, Epichlorohydrin, Guaranteed, JUNCEI Chemicals co. Ltd., Japan) as a cross-linking agent were added to the suspension. were sequentially added and stirred at 600 rpm for 10 minutes using a stirrer, and reacted in a constant temperature water bath at 70° C. for 2 hours with stirring stopped to prepare a cellulose gel.

At this time, based on 100 parts by weight of the suspension, 3 parts by weight of sodium hydroxide and 4 parts by weight of epichlorohydrin were added.

Manufacturing Example 2-1

100 g of the cellulose gel prepared in Preparation Example 1 was placed in a mesh net (200 mesh), immersed in 500 ml of water, and immersed for 40 hours (changed approximately 19 times) while changing 500 ml of water every 2 hours. The pH was measured to confirm that washing was completed at pH 7.

Afterwards, the mesh was removed and about 340 ml of water was added to the washed cellulose gel (solid content: about 5.5%) to swell it (solid content: about 1.5%). The swollen gel was dried at 105°C and 0.5% Cellulose-based hydrogel was obtained by grinding to a size of mm to 1 cm.

Manufacturing Example 2-2

In Preparation Example 2-1, except that the mesh was removed and about 105 ml of water was added to the washed cellulose gel (solid content: about 5.5%) to swell (solid content: about 3.0%). A cellulose-based hydrogel was obtained in the same manner as in Example 2-1.

Manufacturing Example 2-3

In Preparation Example 2-1, a cellulose-based hydrogel was obtained in the same manner as Preparation Example 2-1, except that the mesh was removed and the washed cellulose gel (solid content: about 5.5%) was not swollen. .

Manufacturing Example 2-4

In Preparation Example 2-1, the mesh net was removed and the washed cellulose gel (solid content: about 5.5%) was not swelled, but was dried in a microwave until the solid content reached about 50%, and then completely dried at 105°C. A cellulose-based hydrogel was obtained in the same manner as Preparation Example 2-1 except for drying.

Example 1

A blended hydrogel was obtained by mixing the cellulose gel prepared by the method of Preparation Example 2-1 and the cellulose gel prepared by the method of Preparation Example 2-3 at a weight ratio of 1:1.

Example 2

The cellulose gel prepared by the method of Preparation Example 2-1 and the cellulose gel prepared by the method of Preparation Example 2-4 were mixed at a weight ratio of 1:1 to obtain a blended hydrogel.

Comparative Example 1

In Preparation Example 2-1, a cellulose-based hydrogel was obtained in the same manner as Preparation Example 2-1, except that the mesh network was not used.

Reference example 1

Petroleum-based polymer-based commercial SAP was obtained from L Company, a domestic chemical company.

Reference example 2

Cellulose-based commercial SAP was obtained from a domestic company A.

Experimental example: Evaluation of moisture absorption

After measuring the mass of the completely dried hydrogel prepared in Preparation Examples 2-1 to 2-4, Examples 1 to 2, Comparative Example 1, and Reference Examples 1 to 2, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and 3 hours Alternatively, they were immersed in saline solution for 24 hours. Afterwards, the hydrogel was taken out, the dripping water was removed for 5 minutes, the mass of the hydrogel in each case was measured, and the maximum moisture retention was calculated using Equation 4 below.

[Equation 4]

W _t = (M _t - M ₀ )/M ₀

In Equation 1, W _t is the maximum water retention in saline solution (g/g) after immersion for time t, M _t is the mass of the hydrogel (g) after immersion for time t, and M ₀ is This is the mass (g) of dried hydrogel before immersion. where t is 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, or 24 hours.

Table 1 below shows the maximum water retention amount of the hydrogels prepared in Preparation Examples 2-1 to 2-4, Examples 1 to 2, and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 with respect to saline solution, respectively.

transference number(%) Saline-maximum water retention per immersion (g/g) 10 minutes later 30 minutes later 1 hour later 3 hours later 24 hours later Comparative Example 1 60 48.1 58.1 66.4 71.4 73.4 Reference example 1 - 58.3 62.4 63.7 65.4 68.1 Reference example 2 - 44.2 46.0 47.1 48.2 51.3 Manufacturing Example 2-1 93 49.8 59.0 67.1 72.5 74.8 Manufacturing Example 2-2 93 44.3 56.9 68.4 80.4 80.3 Manufacturing Example 2-3 93 42.0 53.1 68.9 84.0 88.1 Manufacturing Example 2-4 93 40.0 48.8 65.4 70.1 76.8 Example 1 93 46.7 56.8 68.0 79.8 81.4 Example 2 93 47.4 55.7 66.9 72.0 75.3

Referring to Table 1, it can be seen that Examples 1 and 2 achieved hydrogels with both high initial and final moisture absorption by blending a hydrogel with high initial moisture absorption and a hydrogel with high final moisture absorption. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, where the hydrogel was manufactured without using a mesh network, it can be seen that the yield was low and the productivity of the hydrogel was low.

Although the present invention has been described above with limited examples, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical idea of the present invention and the patents described below will be understood by those skilled in the art. Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalence of the claims.

S10: Step of producing cellulose gel
S20: Obtaining washed cellulose gel
S30: Step of producing the first cellulose-based hydrogel
S40: Step of producing secondary cellulose-based hydrogel
S50: Step of preparing cellulose-based blending hydrogel

Claims (12)

Preparing a cellulose gel;
Putting the cellulose gel into a porous casing and washing it to obtain a washed cellulose gel;
Swelling the washed cellulose gel and first drying and first pulverizing the washed cellulose gel to produce a first cellulose-based hydrogel;
Second drying and second pulverizing the washed cellulose gel to produce a second cellulose-based hydrogel; and
Mixing the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel; Method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel comprising.
According to paragraph 1,
Preparing the cellulose gel;
Preparing a cellulose suspension containing a cellulose raw material containing at least one of a cellulose derivative and a cellulose fiber and a solvent; and
A method for producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel comprising: preparing a cellulose gel by adding a cross-linking agent and a basic catalyst to the cellulose suspension.
According to paragraph 1,
The swelling is a method of producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel, wherein the washed cellulose gel is immersed in the water so that the weight ratio of the cellulose gel to water is 1:0.5 to 1:5.
According to paragraph 1,
A method of producing a cellulose-based blending hydrogel, wherein the porous casing is a mesh network.
According to paragraph 4,
A method of producing a cellulose-based blending hydrogel, wherein the mesh network is 10 mesh to 300 mesh.
According to paragraph 1,
The washing is a method of producing a cellulose-based blended hydrogel, wherein the cellulose gel is placed in the porous casing and immersed in water for 1 hour to 48 hours.
According to paragraph 1,
The first drying and the second drying are each independently performed by one or more methods selected from hot air drying, reduced pressure drying, or microwave drying.
According to paragraph 1,
The first grinding and the second grinding each independently grind the dried cellulose gel to a size of 0.1 mm to 50 mm in diameter.
A first cellulose-based hydrogel having an initial maximum water absorption of 45 g/g to 60 g/g; and
A cellulose-based blending hydrogel produced by the method according to claim 1, comprising a second cellulose-based hydrogel having a final maximum water absorption of 75 g/g to 100 g/g,
Cellulose-based blended hydrogel, wherein the initial maximum moisture absorption amount and final maximum moisture absorption amount are calculated by the following equations 1 and 2, respectively:
[Equation 1]
W ₁ = (M ₁ - M ₁₀ )/M ₁₀
[Equation 2]
W ₂ = (M ₂ - M ₂₀ )/M ₂₀
In Equation 1, M ₁₀ is the dry weight (g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel, and M ₁ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the first cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 10 minutes. and W ₁ is the initial maximum moisture absorption (g/g) of the first cellulose-based hydrogel,
In Equation 2, M ₂₀ is the dry weight (g) of the second cellulose-based hydrogel, and M ₂ is the weight (g) measured after immersing the second cellulose-based hydrogel in saline solution for 24 hours. , W ₂ is the final maximum water absorption (g/g) of the second cellulose-based hydrogel.
According to clause 9,
A cellulose-based blending hydrogel, wherein the weight ratio of the first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel is 1:5 to 5:1.
According to clause 9,
The first cellulose-based hydrogel and the second cellulose-based hydrogel are cellulose-based blending hydrogels that satisfy the following equation 3.
[Equation 3]
25 ≤ W ₂ - W ₁ ≤ 40
An absorbent article comprising an absorbent structure comprising the cellulose-based blended hydrogel of claim 9.