100% renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic cellulose fibres

100% renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic cellulose fibres

Monday, 18 October, 2021

Both industrial and household cleaning products form part of our daily life. Some of them contain plastic microparticles as cleaning particles. These microparticles take a long period of time to break down completely. As such, they persist in the environment and have a negative impact on both marine life and humans.

To avoid the use of microplastics, formulators are looking for biodegradable and non-toxic alternatives. One of the alternatives to solid cleaning particles is fillers of mineral origin such as calcium carbonate or silica. However, the majority of these products are usually highly abrasive, preventing their use on sensitive and delicate surfaces and therefore restricting their fields of application.

Our represented company CFF has developed an alternative to microplastics: 100% renewable, biodegradable and non-toxic cellulose fibres under the commercial name TECHNOCEL. In addition, unlike raw materials of mineral origin, this product is less abrasive on surfaces, enabling its use for many applications.

This range of products is available in different sizes – between 20 and 800 µm – and forms – globular or fibrous – and is exempt from REACH and SVHC registration. Their biodegradability has been tested in water at 20ºC, in accordance with the DIN EN 14851 standard, and the results after 39 days can be seen in the following figure.

Figure 1: Biodegradability according to DIN EN 14851 standard of cellulose particles in different forms and compared to silica and microplastics.

The following are some of the properties of cellulose particles:

pH and temperature stable, up to 200ºC
The fibres do not break under shearing, with the exception of long fibres and large granulates which are sensitive to high shear force in very low viscosity formulations
Low generation of dust
They do not clump or swell
Easy incorporation at any stage of the process

To demonstrate the ease of use of TECHNOCEL products, here is an indicative formula. It is powdered hand soap, without water, in which we have included cellulose fibres which will act as a cleaning and abrasive agent:

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients at room temperature for two hours in a powder mixer at 59 rpm until a homogenous product is observed.
2. Package in a container suitable for powdered products.

In addition to being a sustainable alternative for the substitution of microplastics and particles that are harmful for the environment, the cellulose particles have further uses, such as:

Carrier for enzymes, active ingredients, water, oil, etc. in powdered detergents
Anti-caking agent in powdered detergents and carpet cleaners
Aid for tablet compaction and their subsequent disintegration
Filler for powdered detergents
Cleaning agent with low abrasion in cleaning products and hand soaps
Opacifier

In conclusion, the biodegradable and non-toxic cellulose fibres from CFF are a sustainable alternative to microplastics and petroleum-based cleaning particles. By choosing the appropriate size and form we can formulate new products which not only act as substitutes but also impart extra value, thanks to the other properties they provide.

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