MUMBAI, India, July 13 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202611045651 A) filed by Sharma, Ravi Shankar; Ahuja, Priyanka; Sharma, Kaashvi; Ahuja, Omaya; and Ahuja, Omansh on April 09, 2026, for Method For Producing Biodegradable Super Absorbent Material From Rice Stubble.
Inventors include Sharma, Ravi Shankar; and Ahuja, Priyanka.
The application for the patent was published on July 10, 2026, under issue no. 28/2026.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a biodegradable super absorbent material derived from rice stubble and methods for producing such materials through chemical processing techniques. The method involves collecting rice stubble from agricultural sources, cutting the material into small pieces, and subjecting the cut rice stubble to alkali digestion using sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or calcium hydroxide at a concentration of 10% at elevated temperatures to modify cellulosic structure and remove lignin components. The alkali-treated rice stubble may undergo bleaching with trichloroisocyanuric acid to remove residual chromophoric compounds and lignin residues, followed by washing to remove residual bleaching compounds and reaction byproducts. The washed rice stubble may be softened with hydrogen peroxide treatment at a concentration of 5 to 10% to enhance flexibility and processability of cellulose fibers, with pH adjusted to maintain neutral pH levels around 7 using buffering agents or neutralizing solutions. The softened rice stubble may be converted into a homogeneous pulp suspension through mechanical processing and mixed with xanthate gums to form a cross-linked polymer network, with polyethylene glycol powder added to the xanthate-pulp mixture to modify rheological properties and enhance water absorption characteristics. The resulting biodegradable super absorbent material may exhibit water absorption capacities of 20 to 25 times its dry weight similar to synthetic alternatives while maintaining complete biodegradability within 90 to 180 days under natural conditions.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
