Coding of a cellulose product

The invention relates to a method for identifying a cellulose

having product and a use.

Viscose fibers are chemical fibers or regenerated fibers that are produced using a wet spinning process called viscose. The starting raw material of the viscose process is cellulose, which is provided on the basis of wood. The high-purity cellulose in the form of chemical pulp is obtained from this raw material, wood. In

In successive process stages, the pulp is first treated with caustic soda, which forms alkali cellulose. In a subsequent

The reaction of this alkali cellulose with carbon disulfide forms cellulose xanthate. From this, the viscose spinning solution is generated by adding more sodium hydroxide solution, which is then fed into a spinneret through the holes of shower-like spinnerets

Spinning bath is pumped. A viscose filament is created there by coagulation per spinneret hole. The viscose filaments produced in this way are then cut into viscose staple fibers.

Lyocell is the name of a type of regenerated fiber containing cellulose that is produced using a direct solvent process. The cellulose is extracted from the raw material wood for the Lyocell process. The pulp obtained in this way can then be dissolved in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO), a solvent, by removing water without chemical modification, filtered and

are then pressed through spinnerets. The filaments formed in this way are precipitated after passing through an air gap in a bath with aqueous NMMO solution and then cut into staple fibers.

Especially for applications in which a product comes into body contact with a user (as is the case, for example, with clothing, cosmetics or medical technology products), it is important to ensure a reliable quality of cellulose-containing products.

It is an object of the present invention to ensure a reliable quality of products containing cellulose.

This task is carried out by the subjects according to the independent

Patent claims solved. Preferred refinements result from the dependent claims.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for identifying a product containing cellulose (wherein the product is in particular a, further in particular regenerated cellulosic,

May have molded body), wherein in the method a data record is determined which is indicative of several components of the product or a preform of the product, and the data record correlated with the product or the preform is stored in a database.

According to another embodiment, a measured and stored in a database information regarding at least one intrinsic non-cellulosic constituent (in particular information regarding a combination regarding several intrinsic non-cellulosic constituents) of a cellulose product made from recycled old textiles or a molded body from which the cellulose product was made is used as Code used to identify an origin of the cellulose product or the molded article.

In the context of this application, the term “cellulose” can be understood in particular as an organic compound which is a component of plant cell walls or which can be produced synthetically. Cellulose is a

Polysaccharide (i.e. a polysaccharide). Cellulose is unbranched and typically has several hundred to tens of thousands of ß-D-glucose molecules (ß-1,4-glycosidic bond) or cellobiose units. Plants build cellulose fibers from cellulose molecules in a controlled manner. With a

technical process can form cellulose molecules

Regenerated fibers are stored together, for example as tear-resistant fibers.

In the context of this application, the term "components of the product" can be understood to mean in particular different materials or components or constituents of the cellulose-containing product that can be distinguished by measurement. The components of the product can depend on a starting material for manufacturing the product and The combination of the ingredients and their quantities of a product can therefore be indicative of a very specific product or a very specific batch of the product or a preform of the same that is manufactured on the basis of specific raw materials using a specific process has been.Such an ingredient can be, for example, a main ingredient of the product or the preform (e.g. cellulose, which is available in different

Fiber geometries can occur - compare FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 - and which, due to the different product compositions of the cellulose sources used, can also be differentiated spectroscopically, for example by means of crystallinity determination via NMR). However, such a component can also be a foreign substance, which as a result of the use of certain

Starting materials or cellulose sources are also contained in the end product

(e.g. polyester or elastane in the case of recycling old clothes). A component can also be a trace element that can be traced back to a source of cellulose or a starting material (for example titanium dioxide or a rare earth metal). In addition, it is also possible that a

Component of the product is analyzed, which in the starting material or the

Cellulose source was not yet included, but only during or after

Production of the cellulose fibers or another cellulosic shaped body was added to the product, for example a dye marker.

In the context of this registration, the term "data set"

in particular (for example electronically storable) data are understood, the data content of which for several components their existence or

Indicates the absence of a product or its preform or even the amount thereof in a product or its preform. For example, the data record can have a sequence of logical values ​​"1" and logical values ​​"0", thus a binary code or a bit sequence that indicates the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of a respective criterion in relation to a certain product or the preform, that is related to a specific component. For example, 1 bit of such a data record can indicate whether a product has a concentration of a metal oxide above (corresponding to a logical value “1”) or below (corresponding to a logical value “0”) a predetermined threshold value.

In the context of this application, the term “database” can be understood to mean, in particular, a set of data records (which can be stored, for example, on a data memory, further in particular an electronic mass storage device (for example, a hard drive)) Apparatus for the production of cellulose

Products or moldings or be arranged at a remote location, for example cloud-based.

In the context of this application, the term “preform of the product” can be understood to mean in particular an intermediate product (in particular also a semi-finished product) that is produced during the manufacture of the product (in particular a

End product, which is intended for use by a consumer) is obtained and can be converted into the product after further processing. The preform and the product can be at least partially the same

Have material composition and / or be at least partially formed from the same components. For example, the product can be a pair of jeans and an associated preform can be a cellulose fiber or another shaped body (in particular a regenerated cellulosic shaped body) from which the jeans are made.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a

Coding system for cellulose products created in which, after the manufacture of such a product or a preform thereof, information on preferably several components of this special product or the preform thereof is recorded by measurement and is stored as a data record. This data record can be assigned to this specific product or its preform. This procedure can be repeated for many products and / or preforms. The data set for a certain product or its preform depends largely on the starting materials (e.g. wood, residues from the

Clothing manufacture, used clothing, natural cotton, etc.) for the manufacture of the cellulosic product or the preform as well as the used

Manufacturing process (for example Lyocell process or viscose process). If, for example, inhomogeneous mixed textiles to be recycled in whole or in part are used as starting materials, the material composition of which fluctuates greatly for different batches, an individual fingerprint of the starting materials and the

Manufacturing process can be stored in the form of the data record. A textile here can in particular be a processed fiber product. A mixed textile can accordingly be described as an inhomogeneous fiber product. Should later, for reasons of quality assurance, for example, the originality of a

specific test product are checked, the same parameters can be recorded again by measurement and a best match (for example in the sense of a best-match procedure) between the recorded

Parameter values ​​of the test product and one of the stored data sets are searched for. The product identity is thus coded in the data record assigned to a specific product. By following an exemplary

Embodiment a plurality of components in the associated

Data record is received, the probability of a wrong hit (ie a product is mistakenly assigned to a wrong data record) can be greatly reduced.

It is particularly advantageous to store a combination of several intrinsic non-cellulosic components of a cellulose product made from recycled old textiles as a fingerprint of a certain product or a product preform as an associated data record in a database and, if necessary, to compare it with a test product. In this context, an intrinsic component can in particular be understood to mean a component of the product or the preform that is inevitably contained in the final product or in a preform of the same as the result of a starting material used for this purpose (preferably used textiles) and a manufacturing process used without additional measures . This means that the data record can be generated with virtually no additional effort because the component used as a marker does not necessarily have to be added separately to the product, and can still be specifically indicative of a very special product (since inhomogeneous mixed textiles can be assumed for old textiles). Since cellulose itself is not used as the analyzed constituents, or at least not only used, but at least also non-cellulosic foreign substances from the old textiles, a particularly specific or individual data set for a certain product can be saved and compared with test products. In this way it is possible to have a By not using the cellulose itself or at least not only using it as the analyzed constituents, but at least also using non-cellulosic foreign substances from the old textiles, a particularly specific or individual data set can be saved for a certain product and compared with test products. In this way it is possible to have a Since cellulose itself is not used as the analyzed constituents, or at least not only used, but at least also non-cellulosic foreign substances from the old textiles, a particularly specific or individual data set for a certain product can be saved and compared with test products. In this way it is possible to have a

to ensure reliable quality of cellulose-containing products by determining the origin of the products or their emergence from a

Verification of recycling processes and counterfeits or plagiarism

can be reliably identified. This way is also for

Cellulose products (e.g. clothing) enables traceability without the need for cellulose products that are difficult or impossible to use

complex measures (such as attaching barcodes or RFID tags) would have to be taken

Additional exemplary embodiments of the method and the use are described below.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the data set determined can be indicative of whether the product or the preform was manufactured at least partially on the basis of a recycled cellulose source as the starting material for manufacturing the product or the preform. In the context of this application, the term “cellulose source” can in particular include a medium (in particular a

Solid medium) are understood as the basis for producing a molded body comprising cellulose during a corresponding

Manufacturing process provides the cellulose material used for this purpose. One example is wood or wood pulp. Other examples of a recycled cellulose source are textile waste to be recycled, such as post-consumer used clothing or pre-consumer leftovers from textile production. In the

Use of recyclable material as raw material or

Cellulose source for the manufacture of the product comprising cellulose or its preform, substances which were contained in the cellulose source are inevitably found in the manufactured product or the preform of the product. If, for example, the cellulose source is formed from old clothes, synthetic plastics such as polyester or elastane can be found on and / or in the manufactured

Cellulose fibers are located. Such synthetic plastics can be found in

Garments in the form of seams, buttons, or admixtures

Cellulose fiber application. Since inhomogeneous mixed textiles are often used when recycling old clothes or the like (the old clothes available in each case do not have a fixed composition, rather a currently available mix is ​​usually further processed), the composition of a manufactured product containing cellulose is used in the application mentioned significant from batch to batch

differently. A composition of several components of the product or preform recorded by measurement after the manufacture of such a product or a preform can therefore also be used as marker information for the mentioned batch and for the return of a product or a preform (for

Example, a molded body) can be used on a specific plant or a specific manufacturing apparatus. The use of cellulose sources by way of recycling mixed textiles therefore offers special advantages that can be used without additional effort in connection with the creation of a coding system for products containing cellulose.

According to a preferred embodiment, the product or the preform can be produced at least partially on the basis of old clothes as a source of cellulose as the starting material for producing the product or the preform. For example, at least 3 percent by weight, in particular at least 10 percent by weight, further in particular at least 50 percent by weight, of old clothes, based on the total weight of the

Starting material can be used. Used textiles that have been recycled and worn by a user for the manufacture of the product can be particularly advantageous

Have or consist of clothing. One such

Embodiment is particularly preferred because used clothes often have a particularly inhomogeneous composition with significant proportions of

Contain foreign substances which can be used as markers as intrinsic non-cellulosic constituents of the product to be manufactured. As part of

In this application, the term "old clothes" can be understood to mean in particular items of clothing containing cellulose which have already been used (in particular worn) by a consumer when at least a portion of the cellulose is recovered may (but need not) contain significant amounts of foreign matter and can be used to recover cellulose after a consumer has used the old clothes as clothing or in some other way.in particular comprising (especially frequently used in garments) synthetic plastic (such as polyester and / or elastane) and / or separate and not comprising cellulose

Foreign bodies (such as buttons, textile prints or seams). Polyesters are understood to mean, in particular, polymers with ester functions (R - [- C0-0 -] - R) in their main chain. Polyesters include polycarbonates and

Polyethylene terephthalate. Elastane is particularly elastic

Understood chemical fiber with high elasticity. A block copolymer on which elastane is based can contain a mass fraction of at least 85% polyurethane.

According to one embodiment, the product or the preform can alternatively or additionally at least partially based on residues from a

Clothing manufacture as a source of cellulose as a raw material for manufacturing the product or the preform. In the context of this application, the term “residues from a clothing production” can in particular be understood to mean scrap and / or offcuts of a cellulose-containing or consisting of a textile or yarn, these residues being obtained during a process for the manufacture of clothing For example, a cellulose-containing textile is produced as the starting material, from which flat parts (for example in the form of a T-shirt half) are then cut out. What remains are residues which, according to an exemplary embodiment, can be fed back to a method for producing a cellulose-containing molded body .

acting having or consisting of raw material that is used for

Recovering cellulose can be used before a consumer has used the scraps as clothing or otherwise. Remnants from clothing production can in particular be formed from essentially pure cellulose, in particular without separate foreign bodies that do not contain cellulose (such as buttons, textile prints or seams).

According to one exemplary embodiment, the product or the preform can be produced at least partially on the basis of a further cellulose source, in particular on the basis of at least one material from a group consisting of wood pulp, rag pulp (in particular pulp made from scraps of material such as cuttings, etc.), cotton (i.e. cellulose from a

Cotton plant), cellulose produced by means of a lyocell process and / or cellulose produced by means of a viscose process. It is therefore also possible to provide only part of the raw material in the form of old clothes or leftovers from textile production. The starting material can also be an inhomogeneous mixed fabric, which further improves its suitability as a coding marker. The rest of the raw material that is not supplied in the form of old clothes or leftovers from textile production can be flexible and depending on

Availability can be replenished by one or more other sources of cellulose. As a result, the large-scale use of the manufacturing process is not impaired by any temporary shortages of old clothes or leftovers from textile production. Rather, it is possible to compensate or compensate for any shortfalls in cellulose from textiles that are to be recycled by other cellulose sources. However, the formation of the starting material can only be preferred from old clothes, since their properties as inhomogeneous mixed textiles are particularly advantageous for an intrinsic coding system according to an exemplary embodiment.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the product or the preform can be produced on the basis of a starting material which is produced as an inhomogeneous mixture of different constituents (and optionally over a period of time of one or more production processes). It is precisely this inhomogeneity caused by unpredictable properties of

incoming reusable material comes about as starting material, according to an exemplary embodiment it can advantageously be used to ensure that different products or preforms also differ greatly from one another due to the inhomogeneous starting materials, at least at the level of foreign substances, so that precisely these foreign substances are advantageous for coding or identification of products and their preforms can be used.

According to one embodiment, the product or the preform can be produced by means of the lyocell process or by means of the viscose process. Both in the Lyocell process (see FIG. 3) and in the

Viscose processes (compare FIG. 4), cellulose fibers can be impressed with characteristic geometric properties. Therefore, the fiber form of cellulose in the manufactured product, as part of the data set or an associated bit sequence, can be part of the code or fingerprint of a product from a specific batch and from a specific manufacturing apparatus.

In the context of this application, the term “Lyocell process” can in particular be understood to mean a process for producing cellulose by a direct solvent process. For the Lyocell process, the cellulose can be obtained from a starting material which is this cellulose

contains. In the Lyocell process, the starting material can be dissolved in a suitable solvent (in particular containing tertiary amine oxides such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) and / or ionic liquids, ie low-melting salts made up of cations and anions) become. The dissolution can take place in particular by removing water and / or without chemical modification. The resulting solution, which can also be referred to as dope or spinning solution, can then be pressed through one or more spinnerets in the Lyocell process. Filaments formed as a result can during and / or after their free or

controlled falling through an air gap in a water-containing bath

(in particular in a bath with aqueous NMMO solution) and / or the air humidity in the air gap can be precipitated.

In the context of this application, the term “viscose process” can in particular include a process for producing cellulose according to a

Wet spinning processes are understood. The cellulose can be used for that

Viscose process from a raw material (especially wood or a

Wood pulp) containing this cellulose. In

successive process stages can be used in the viscose process

The starting material must first be treated with a base (for example with sodium hydroxide solution), whereby alkali cellulose is formed. When this alkali cellulose is then reacted with carbon disulfide, cellulose xanthate is formed. From this, a viscose spinning solution can be generated by further adding a base (in particular sodium hydroxide solution), which by one or more

Spinnerets can be pressed. In a spinning bath arise through

Coagulation of viscose filaments.

According to one embodiment, the method can analyze a test product to determine information that is indicative of several components of the test product, and the information with the data set in the

Database to be compared. Such a test product can, for example, be a product that is to be checked for authenticity or its origin during a sales or use process. This can be done, for example, to clarify the question of the originality of a product or its preform from a specific source, to assign a product or its preform to a specific manufacturing process (especially a specific batch), to track a product or its preform over its service life Clarification as to whether a product or its preform comes from a recycled cellulose source, etc., may be desirable.

According to one embodiment, at least one other data set can be determined in the method, which is for several components of at least one other product or a preform of at least one other

Product is indicative, and the data record correlated with the at least one other product or its preform can be stored in the database. In other words, data records can be recorded for many or even all manufactured products or preforms and stored in the database in connection with a respective product. For later identification of a test product as belonging to one of the data sets, then many

Comparison data can be used and therefore the reliability of an assignment can be improved. In other words, such a complex set of many data sets broadens the information basis for the assignment of a test product.

According to one embodiment, the information can be compared with the data records and the test product can be identified as belonging to one of the data records if a discrepancy between the information on the one hand and one of the data records on the other hand is a predetermined one

Threshold value, in particular a number of unsatisfied bit criteria

(preferably not a single different bit criterion), falls below or does not exceed. An alternative criterion for deciding whether one of the

Data records match a test product, consists in the fact that an identity can be assumed if the information and this data record show the best possible match (in particular a better match than all other data records). For example, a best possible match can result in a highest number of

matching bit criteria (preferably a match with regard to all bit criteria) correspond. When a test product is identified or

whose origin is to be traced, the test product can be subjected to the same measurement with which the respective data sets were obtained for the products or the preforms. For example, such

Clarification of the several constituents and their properties (for example their amount or their presence or absence) in a test product by means of a spectroscopic analysis (for example by means of

Mass spectrometry). A test data record obtained in this way for the test product can be matched or compared with the data records stored in the database. Several criteria can be used for this

which can be related to the analyzed components. For example, the criterion can be used as to whether a certain rare earth could be determined in the test product or whether a certain rare earth could be found with a certain minimum concentration or within a predetermined concentration range in the test product. As a result of the application of these criteria to the test product and through a corresponding comparison with the application of these criteria to the products or the preforms in accordance with the data records, an associated bit value can then advantageously be defined for each criterion (for example a logical value “1 "if the respective criterion is met, or" 0 "if the respective criterion is not met). As a result, the bit values ​​or a bit sequence built up from them can be compared very quickly with very little demand on memory and processor resources and consequently very quickly. As a result of this

Arithmetic operations, a data record can be extracted from the database which resulted in a best match with a data record of the test product. An assignment of a test product to a specific product (or to a preform of the product), for which an associated data set at the time

was saved, is therefore possible in an error-robust manner.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the data record can be indicative of a combination of components present in the product, in particular for a combination of components contained in the product in a respective amount. The higher the number of components that are included in the data record, the more meaningful the result of an association between a product corresponding to a data record and one to be examined

Test product. For example, the number of components for which a corresponding criterion or a corresponding value is anchored in the database can be at least three, in particular at least four, further in particular at least six, preferably at least eight. The higher the number of components, the lower the risk that a test product will be assigned to an incorrect data set.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the multiple components, in particular exclusively, can relate to non-cellulosic components of the product or the preform. "Non-cellulosic constituents" here can be understood to mean constituents or constituents of the product or the preform which are composed of cellulose (in particular lyocell cellulose, viscose and

Cotton cellulose) are different. With these non-cellulosic

Components can therefore in particular be foreign substances that were contained in the starting material (for example rare earths, metal oxides, synthetic plastics, dyes, etc.) or were not yet contained in the starting material and only at a later point in time during the manufacture of the product added as an external or extrinsic marker (e.g. a coating of luminophores). Shape-selected particles, for example cube, spherical and / or tetrahedral nanoparticles, can also be used as (in particular extrinsic) markers. Since such foreign substances are uncharacteristic and unspecific for cellulose products without affecting the quality of the products or the preform,

According to one exemplary embodiment, the several constituents, in particular exclusively, can relate to intrinsic constituents of the product or of the preform that are already present after cellulose has been coagulated

containing filaments from a spinning solution in and / or on and / or between the filaments. In particular, the

intrinsic constituents have already been contained in and / or on the molded bodies after extrusion of a spinning solution to form cellulosic molded bodies. "Intrinsic components" can in particular include

Components of the product or the preform are understood that were already contained in the starting material or the cellulose source for producing the product or the product preform. Because of the strong in practice

Inhomogeneity in terms of the composition of recycling raw materials, intrinsic components are ideal for use as

Coding markers, without any additional effort.

According to one embodiment, the intrinsic constituents and / or the non-cellulosic constituents can have at least one from a group consisting of a trace element (ie a constituent that is only contained in an extremely small proportion), in particular a metal, further in particular one Rare earth metal, a metal oxide, in particular titanium dioxide and / or zinc oxide, a dye, a phosphor, and a synthetic plastic, in particular elastane and / or polyester. Other intrinsic components are dependent on the composition of one

Starting material possible and can be especially useful when using

Used clothes as inhomogeneous mixed textiles in different product batches advantageously vary greatly in terms of type and quantity.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of components can relate to at least one cellulosic component of the product or the preform. A “cellulosic constituent” can be understood here in particular as a constituent or a constituent of the product or the preform which contains its cellulose (in particular cellulose, cotton cellulose and / or cellulose regenerated according to the lyocell or viscose process)

Wood pulp). Cellulose can differ in different products, different preforms or in different product components with regard to the geometrical appearance (compare FIGS. 3 to 5). The chemical properties of cellulose or its elements (especially carbon) can also change due to the in

different products different chemical environment

distinguish. This can for example take the form of different

Shift values ​​can be distinguished in an NMR spectrum. The database comparison can therefore also provide information about a fiber type of a product or a preform.

According to one embodiment, the intrinsic components and / or the non-cellulosic components can come entirely or partially from old textiles. Due to the often high inhomogeneity and

The changing composition of old textiles as a starting material to be recycled for manufacturing the cellulose-containing product is its

Foreign matter composition a particularly individual marker that a

specific product is coded and reliably distinguishes it from other products or at least product batches.

According to one embodiment, the method can be used during or after a production of the product or its preform (in particular after a

Coagulation of filaments containing cellulose from a spinning solution) comprise an addition of the product or a preform of the product with at least one extrinsic component, for which the data record stored in the database is also indicative. An external or extrinsic constituent that was not yet contained in the cellulose source as a starting material for the manufacture of the product or preform can therefore be specially added to the product to further refine the coding accuracy. Adding an extrinsic component (such as a luminophore or the like) to the finished cellulose of the product or preform can be

alternatively or preferably in addition to measuring at least one

intrinsic component of the product or its preform

Further improve the distinguishability of the product from other products. Such an extrinsic component (or several) can be different

Products or preforms are added in terms of type and / or amount in the same or preferably in different amounts (for example as pigment incorporated in the molding) in order to further refine or diversify the data set.

According to one embodiment, the data record can be assigned to a production batch. According to such an embodiment, it is sufficient to jointly store a data record for all products of a product batch (for example all products manufactured on one day on the same production apparatus). This keeps the amount of data to be managed low and also enables a very specific characterization of a product with regard to its origin.

According to one embodiment, a data record for a composition of the product or its preform from the

at least two components of the indicative bit sequence are stored in the database (see FIG. 2). The longer the bit sequence, the higher it is

Reliability of the assignment of a data set to a test product.

According to one embodiment, the product or its preform can be a molded body or can be produced on the basis of a molded body. in the

Fibers are to be understood as filaments as well as cut staple fibers with conventional dimensions (for example 38 mm length) and short fibers. For the production of fibers, both processes with take-off devices after one or more extrusion nozzles and other processes, such as in particular melt-blowing processes, come into consideration. As an alternative to fibers, a cellulose-containing film can also be produced as the shaped body, ie a flat and essentially homogeneous film with or from cellulose. Foils can in particular be produced by setting the process parameters of a Lyocell process, at least partially only to trigger coagulation after the filaments have hit a receiving surface. Films can be understood to mean flat cellulose molded bodies, the thickness of these foils being adjustable (for example by selecting a number of serially arranged nozzle bars). Other embodiments of a molded body are a woven fabric and a nonwoven made of cellulose filaments or cellulose fibers, in particular a spunbonded nonwoven made of substantially continuous ones that are merged with one another

Cellulose filaments ("melt blown"). Here, under a fabric

in particular a textile fabric made of at least two (preferably at right angles or almost at right angles) crossed thread systems (or

Fiber systems) are understood, with threads (or fibers) in the longitudinal direction as warp threads and threads (or fibers) in the transverse direction as weft threads

can be designated. A fleece or nonwoven can be referred to as a disordered structure (in particular in a random layer) made of filaments or fibers or cut yarns of limited length, which form a

Fiber layer or a fiber pile joined together and (in particular

frictionally) are connected to each other. A shaped body can also be created in the shape of a sphere. Particles containing cellulose, such as, in particular, beads (ie a granulate or globules) or flakes, which can be further processed in this form, can also be provided as molded bodies. Possible cellulose molded bodies are therefore also particulate structures such as granules, spherical powders or fibrids. A shaped body is preferably shaped by extrusion of a cellulose-containing spinning solution through an extrusion nozzle, since in this way large quantities of cellulose shaped bodies can be produced with a very uniform shape. Another possible cellulose molded body is a sponge or, more generally, a porous molded body.

Composite materials are used.

The moldings produced according to the invention can, for example,

Packaging material, fiber material, textile composites, fiber composites, nonwovens, needle felts, upholstery wadding, fabrics, knitted fabrics, as home textiles, such as bed linen, as items of clothing, as fillers, flocking material,

Hospital textiles, such as pads, diapers or mattresses, can be used as material for thermal blankets, shoe insoles and wound dressings.

Embodiments of the invention can be in the most varied

technical fields as well as in medicine and in cosmetics and wellness. In medicine, for example, materials for

Wound treatment and wound healing can be composed of a carrier, which determines the mechanical properties, and a biocompatible coating material, which is particularly compatible with the skin and with the surface of the wound. Numerous other uses are possible.

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the following figures.

Figure 1 shows an apparatus for producing a cellulose containing

Molded body by means of a Lyocell process and the subsequent

Identifying a correspondingly produced product comprising cellulose during its service life according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a bit sequence of a data record which identifies a product with a cellulose fiber produced by means of a Lyocell process.

FIG. 3 shows a cellulose fiber produced by means of a Lyocell process.

FIG. 4 shows a cellulose fiber produced by means of a viscose process.

FIG. 5 shows a natural cellulose fiber from a cotton plant.

Identical or similar components in different figures are provided with the same reference numbers.

Before exemplary exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the figures, some basic considerations should be summarized, based on which exemplary exemplary embodiments of the invention have been derived.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a

Coding system for cellulose products, in particular produced by means of a Lyocell process, created. In this way, a forgery-proof fiber (as a molded body or product preform) or a forgery-proof product based on this fiber can be provided, since an alleged plagiarism can be easily and reliably checked for authenticity using the coding system. More specifically, according to an exemplary

Embodiment created a system with the help of which cellulosic Lyocell fibers in particular can be marked accordingly, so that, for example, an end customer with a testing device (for example a special measuring device) is able to determine the authenticity of an alleged Lyocell fiber

(especially produced by recycling old clothes).

For example, a bit sequence can be generated and stored which encodes characteristic data of a fiber or of an associated product. The bits can advantageously be represented by independent, physically measurable quantities. The bits can be used, for example, by the

Presence of certain substances that do not usually occur in textile fabrics (such as rare earth metals, etc.). Alternatively or additionally, however, residues which cannot be removed from recycling materials without leaving any residue can also be used for marking. For example, a certain bit sequence of recycling residues can be used as a bit sequence to identify Lyocell fibers with a recycled content.

According to an exemplary embodiment, for example, a marking of Lyocell fibers can be mapped using a code, for example in the form of a bit sequence, so that the fibers can be traced back to the finished textile product. In this way, reliable protection against forgery, in particular of Lyocell fibers, can be achieved.

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 100 for producing a molded body 102 containing cellulose by means of a Lyocell process and for subsequently identifying a correspondingly produced cellulose-containing product 150 during its service life according to an example

Embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 therefore shows an apparatus 100 according to an example

Embodiment of the invention for producing a molded body 102 comprising cellulose, which can be produced, for example, in the form of a nonwoven, as fiber, film, ball, textile fabric, sponge or in the form of beads or flakes. According to FIG. 1, the molded body 102 is produced directly from a spinning solution 104. The latter is converted into cellulose fibers 108 by means of a coagulation fluid 106 (in particular from air humidity) and / or a coagulation bath 191 (for example a water bath that optionally has tertiary amine oxides such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO))

Molded body 102 converted. A Lyocell process can be carried out by means of the apparatus 100. In this way, for example, essentially endless filaments or fibers 108 or mixtures of essentially endless filaments and fibers 108 of discrete length can be produced as molded body 102. A plurality of nozzles, each having one or more openings 126 (which may also be referred to as spinning holes), are provided for ejecting Lyocell dope 104.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, a cellulose-based starting material 110 can be fed to a storage tank 114 via a metering device 113.

According to one exemplary embodiment, water can be introduced into the cellulose-based starting material 110 by a solvent 116 (in particular NMMO) described in more detail below. It can also be cellulose based

Starting material 110 itself already contain a certain residual moisture (dry cellulose, for example, often has a residual moisture of 5 percent by weight to 8 percent by weight). In particular, according to the described

Exemplary embodiment, the starting material 110 can be added directly to a mixture of water and solvent 116 without pre-moistening. An optional water container 112 shown in FIG. 1 can then be omitted.

According to an alternative embodiment, the cellulose-containing starting material 110 can additionally be moistened in order to thereby provide moist cellulose. For this purpose, water from an optional

Water tank 112 can be fed to storage tank 114 via metering device 113. Therefore, the metering device 113, controlled by means of a control device 140, can supply adjustable relative amounts of water and starting material 110 to the storage tank 114.

A suitable solvent 116, preferably tertiary amine oxides such as N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO), or an aqueous mixture of the solvent 116, for example a 76% strength solution of NMMO in water, is contained in a solvent container. The concentration of the

Solvent 116 can be adjusted in a concentrating device 118 either by adding pure solvent or water. The solvent 116 can then be mixed with the starting material 110 in definable relative amounts in a mixing unit 119. Also the

Mixing unit 119 can be controlled by means of control unit 140. As a result, the starting material 110 comprising cellulose is concentrated in the

Solvent 116 dissolved in a dissolving device 120 with adjustable relative amounts, whereby the Lyocell spinning solution 104 is obtained. The relative concentration ranges (also referred to as spinning window) of the components starting material 110, water and solvent 116 in the spinning solution 104 for the production of cellulosic regenerated molded bodies the Lyocell process can, as known to a person skilled in the art, be suitably adjusted.

The lyocell dope 104 is fed to a fiber generation device 124 (which may be formed with a number of spin bars or jets 122).

As the lyocell dope 104 is passed through the openings 126 of the jets 122, it is divided into a plurality of parallel strands of lyocell dope 104. The process control described transforms the Lyocell spinning solution 104 into increasingly long and thin threads, the properties of which can be adjusted by appropriate setting of the process conditions, controlled by the control unit 140. Optionally, a flow of gas can move the lyocell dope 104 on its way from the openings 126 to one

Accelerate fiber take-up unit 132.

After the Lyocell spin solution 104 has moved through the jets 122 and down, the long and thin threads of the Lyocell spin solution 104 interact with the coagulation fluid 106.

When interacting with the coagulation fluid 106 (for example water), the solvent concentration of the Lyocell spinning solution 104 is reduced, so that the cellulose of the starting material 110 is at least partially as long and thin cellulose fibers 108 (which can still contain residues of solvent and water) coagulates or fails.

During or after the initial formation of the individual cellulose fibers 108 from the extruded Lyocell spinning solution 104, the cellulose fibers 108 are taken up on the fiber take-up unit 132. The cellulose fibers 108 can immerse into the coagulation bath 191 shown in FIG. 1 (for example a water bath, optionally containing a solvent such as NMMO) and can complete their precipitation when interacting with the liquid in the coagulation bath 191. Depending on the process setting of the coagulation, the cellulose can form cellulose fibers 108 (as shown, wherein the cellulose fibers 108 can be one material or integrally fused with one another (“merging”) or can be present as separate cellulose fibers 108) or a film can form on the fiber receiving unit 132 or.

The cellulose fibers 108 are thus extruded from the spinnerets of the jets 122 and guided through the spinning bath or coagulation bath 191 (containing, for example, water and NMMO in a low concentration for precipitation / coagulation), while the cellulose fibers 108 are guided around a respective deflection roller 193 im Coagulation bath 191 and fed outside of the coagulation bath 191 to a godet 195. The take-off godet 195 ensures that the cellulose fibers 108 are transported further and further drawn in order to achieve a desired titer. After the godet 195, the fiber bundle is from the

Cellulose fibers 108 washed in a washing unit 180, optionally finished and finally cut (not shown).

Although this is not shown in FIG. 1, solvent 116 of the lyocell spinning solution 104, which has been removed from the cellulose fibers 108 during coagulation and during a subsequent washing in the washing unit 180, can be at least partially recovered or recycled and in a subsequent cycle be transferred back to the storage tank 114.

During the transport along the fiber receiving unit 132, the

Shaped bodies 102 (here in the form of cellulose fibers 108) are washed by means of the washing unit 180, in that the latter supplies a washing liquid to remove solvent residues. The shaped body 102 can then be dried.

The molded body 102 can also be subjected to an aftertreatment, see the aftertreatment unit 134 shown schematically. For example, such an aftertreatment can be a hydroentangling,

Needle treatment, impregnation, steam treatment with a steam supplied under pressure and / or calendering, etc. have.

The fiber receiving unit 132 can be the molded body 102 of a

Supply winding device 136, on which the molded body 102 can be wound. The shaped body 102 can then be supplied as rolled goods to an entity that manufactures products such as wipes or textiles based on the shaped body 102.

The molded body 102 can then be used directly or further processed in a manner shown schematically in FIG. 1 with reference numeral 162 to give a specific product 150 (for example a textile fabric).

During the service life of such a product 150, there may be times when the product 150 is to be tracked, the originality or origin of which is questioned or is to be ascertained or checked. A system and a method for identifying such a cellulose-containing product 150 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention are described below.

First of all, during the production of the product 150 (more precisely after the coagulation of the filaments comprising cellulose to form the cellulose fibers 108 from the spinning solution 104), the product 150 can be connected to a marking device 164 controlled by the control unit 140 with a

extrinsic component 160, for example a luminophore.

The product 150 to which the extrinsic component 160 has been added, or (as shown in FIG. 1) a preform of the product 150 in the form of the molded body 102) can be measured in a measuring unit 166. For example, the measuring unit 166 can have a spectrometer (for example a mass spectrometer, an NMR spectrometer, etc.) with which the product 150 or its preform in the form of the molded body 102 with regard to its

Composition of several substances is examined and characterized by measurement.

In the measuring unit 166, the product 150 or its preform can thus

with regard to a combination of constituents or components present in the product 150 or in the preform with regard to type and amount. The constituents examined can be wholly or partly non-cellulosic constituents of the product 150 or of the molded body 102. As qualitatively or quantitatively analyzed non-cellulosic components of the product 150 or its preform, individual trace elements,

in particular metals, further in particular rare earth metals, metal oxides such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, a dye (for example indigo from denim products), a phosphor and synthetic plastic such as elastane or

Polyester to be examined. Such non-cellulosic constituents may come from post-consumer used textiles that were obtained as part of the cellulose source 154 during the manufacturing process described above

Starting material 110 were used. Such old textiles often contain the named and other foreign substances, which are then also found in the product 150 or the molded body 102.

One (or more) further cellulose source 156, which can be supplied as part of the starting material 110 in addition to the old textiles, can also contain such foreign substances. Thus, the constituents, which by means of the measuring unit 166 in the product 150 or its preform in the form of the

Molded body 102 are measured, refer to intrinsic components of the product 150 or the preform, which were already contained in the starting material 110 and thus in the cellulose fibers 108 formed.

At least one cellulosic component of the product 150 or its preform can also be measured by the measuring unit 166 in order to characterize the product 150 or its preform in the form of the molded body 102.

Furthermore, the optional extrinsic component 160 can also be measured by the measuring unit 166.

As a result of the measurement by the measuring unit 166 on a specific product 150 or its preform in the form of the molded body 102, a data record 180 correlated with the product 150 or its preform can be stored in a database 152

get saved. The database 152 may include records 180 as well as other data stored, for example, on electronic mass storage or a portion of electronic mass storage, such as a

Hard disk of a computer, can be stored. A large number of data records 180 are stored in this database 152, which correlate a respective product 150 or its preform with the associated measurement results of the measuring unit 166. Each of the data records 180 contains the information regarding the intrinsic or extrinsic non-cellulosic or cellulosic constituents for an associated product 150 or its preform. It is also possible that the data record 180 contains information regarding the

Appearance of the cellulose fibers 108 (therefore information about a cellulosic component) which are contained in the molded body 102 or in the product 150. As will be explained with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, this corresponds to conclusions about a method used to manufacture the cellulose fibers 108 (Lyocell method or viscose method).

Information captured by measurement technology or information derived therefrom can be contained in the respective data record 180, for example, in the form of qualitative (component present or not present) or quantitative (component at least or at most present in a certain amount) data. Alternatively or in addition, corresponding information can also be contained in the form of logical values ​​with regard to criteria that relate to the named components (for example a logical value “0” if a component in a product 150 or its preform has at least a predetermined amount was contained or a logical value "1" if a component in a product 150 or its preform was not contained in at least a predetermined amount, or vice versa). So it is possible to store the said information in the data record 180 in the form of bits, ie in binary logic. In particular, the determined data record 180 can thereby be indicative of whether the product 150 was produced at least partially on the basis of a recycled cellulose source 154 in the form of the old textiles as at least part of the starting material 110.

The aforementioned information, which is included in the respective data record 180, can be processed by a processor unit 170 on the basis of the measured values ​​of the measuring unit 166

to be determined. This processor unit 170 can optionally be coupled to the control unit 140 or can form part of the same.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1, in addition to the data record 180 for the product 150 “PI”, a data record 180 correlated therewith can also be used for the further product 151 as a further data record 180 for a further product 151 “P2” get saved. In this way, the database 152 can contain an associated data record 180 with regard to many different products 150, 151,. Alternatively, it is also possible that a respective data record 180 in the database 152 is assigned to all products 150 of a common production batch and that other products 151 from other production batches are correlated with other data records 180 in the database 152.

If a user wants to know for a test product 158 ​​(or a preform of the same), for example for tracking purposes or as proof of origin, which identity this test product 158 ​​has or in which batch this test product 158 ​​was produced, the user can use such a test product 158 ​​with a test device 174 measured. The test device 174 can be designed as a portable device, for example. The tester 174 may be a

Measuring device 176 for measuring the information regarding the constituents of the test product 158, in the same or similar manner as the

Measuring unit 166. The test device 174 is thus set up to determine information which is indicative of several components of the test product 158.

A processing device 178 of the test device 174 can receive the

Measuring device 176 process metrologically acquired information.

In particular, the processing device 178, in cooperation with a communication device 186 of the testing device 174, can query data records 180 from the database 152 by the communication device 186 of the

Tester 174 with another connected to database 152

Communication device 188 communicates via a communication network 190 (for example the public Internet) and thereby transmits data.

If the processing device 178 of the test device 164 has access to the

Records 180 are obtained from the database 152, the

Measuring device 176 compared information recorded with data records 180 in database 152. Here, for example, that data record 180 is determined from the database 152 which shows the best possible match with the information determined by the measuring device 176 for the test product 158 ​​with regard to its constituents. For example, the test product 158 ​​can be identified as belonging to one of the data sets 180 if a discrepancy between the information recorded by the measuring device 176 with regard to the test product 158 ​​on the one hand and one of the data sets 180 on the other hand falls below or does not exceed a predetermined threshold value. In particular, a number of fulfilled or not fulfilled bit criteria 184 can be used as a suitable threshold value, compare FIG. The product 150, 151,. In this way, the authenticity of the test product 158 ​​can be verified and its assignment to a production batch can be made possible. If this identification fails, the conclusion can be drawn that the test product 158 ​​does not originate from the apparatus 100 and is possibly a forgery. In this way, the originality of the test product 158 ​​can be verified and its assignment to a production batch can be made possible. If this identification fails, the conclusion can be drawn that the test product 158 ​​does not originate from the apparatus 100 and is possibly a forgery. In this way, the originality of the test product 158 ​​can be verified and its assignment to a production batch can be made possible. If this identification fails, the conclusion can be drawn that the test product 158 ​​does not originate from the apparatus 100 and is possibly a forgery.

The result of this analysis can be displayed to a user on a display device 199 of the test device 174. If necessary, the result of this analysis can also be sent to the processor unit 170 via the

Communication network 190 are transmitted.

FIG. 2 shows a bit sequence 182 of a data record 180 which contains a product 150 with a cellulose fiber 108 produced by means of a Lyocell process

identified. According to FIG. 2, as already described with reference to FIG. 1, a bit sequence 182 indicative of a composition of the product 150 from the various components is stored or stored in the database 152 as data record 180.

FIG. 2 thus shows how a total of 14 bits are assigned as data record 180 to a specific product 150 (or an associated preform in the form of the molded body 102). Six bits PO to P5 relate to certain criteria which the product 150 or its preform does or does not meet. By doing

For example, a titanium dioxide criterion (ie a criterion relating to an amount of the constituent TiO 2 ) in the product 150 is met, so that the associated bit has the logical value “1”. On the other hand, a criterion with regard to iron oxide is Fe 2C> 3 is not fulfilled in the product 150, so that the associated bit has the logical value “0”. Eight further bits SO to S7 relate to further luminophore-based criteria which the product 150 or its preform also partially fulfills and another The bit sequence 182 of the product 150 (01100001100000 in the example shown) is therefore the code for this product 150 and a characteristic fingerprint of the product 150. A test product 158 ​​can be regarded as identical to this product 150 if for the test product 158 the same bit sequence (01100001100000 in the example shown) is determined.

Some further aspects of exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below:

According to an exemplary embodiment, a coding system for lyocell fibers with recycled content is created. Fibers (in particular cellulose fibers 108) which have been produced by the Lyocell process can be used in the

various applications can be used. The recycling of materials in the sense of a material cycle that is as closed as possible is a need from the point of view of resource conservation, sustainability and environmental protection. For consumers, a verifiable feature can be advantageous that confirms the recyclate content of a product 150, ie allows a check to be made as to whether the product 150 has been produced on the basis of recycled cellulose sources 154, 156. In the context of the present application, the term “recycled material” can in particular be understood to mean materials of the types of yarns, textiles or nonwovens (ie nonwovens) that are recovered from the material cycle and which (in particular at the earliest) during the

Pulp production using the Lyocell process or the

Yarn production can also be used.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are based, inter alia, on the knowledge that, in the context of lyocell production, identification of the recyclate in the sense of quantitative material identification before or during the processing of the recyclate is desirable or advantageous. Embodiments of the invention therefore create a marking system, which is difficult to forge or forgery-proof, for checking whether at least parts are recycled

Materials are present in a lyocell fiber of a product 150.

In particular, according to an exemplary embodiment, a

Marking system provided, in which various ingredients in a product 150 or a preform map the individual bits of a bit sequence 182 of a coding system for verifying the authenticity of the corresponding product 150. Such ingredients or constituents can advantageously have a direct reference to the marked content, which means an additional one

Self-marking is achieved.

By means of ingredients or additives for which it is ensured that they are present in a suitable concentration in the dope or a spinning solution 104 of a Lyocell process, a marker system can be formed, which is a binary one

Coding allowed (see Figure 2). By producing a shaped body 102 containing lyocell cellulose (for example in the form of a fiber), these marker components can be embedded in the interior of the shaped body 102 and thus anchored with a high level of protection against forgery.

An additional counterfeit resistance can according to exemplary

Embodiments of the invention are achieved by marker bits that are a partial property of the originality to be verified. For example, the targeted compliance with proportions of a cotton fiber in a recyclate is a more complex process than simply using all recyclate in an uncontrolled manner. Such proportion or property-related marker bits of the property to be detected in the end product in combination with marker bits in relation to a qualitative or even quantitative occurrence of components in a product 150 (for example a bit value base based on the detection of substances or compounds with minimal proportions of rare earths, etc.) together form a bit sequence 182, which can also be referred to as a superbit sequence. Such a superbit sequence can also encode

Additional information (such as the date of manufacture, batch, manufacturer, identifier of a product 150, etc.) in addition to originality entities of the product 150 also anchored via another area of ​​the bit sequence 182 or bit sets.

According to one embodiment, the bit sequence 182 can have one or preferably more primary marker bits 192 with content and / or functional and / or material reference to a Lyocell-based product 150 and one or preferably more secondary marker bits 194 relating to materials with a pure marker character. Such a superbitset, also shown in FIG. 2, is therefore preferably composed of secondary marker bits 194 from materials with a pure marker character (e.g. luminophores) and primary marker bits 192, which have a content and / or functional and / or material reference to the lyocell-based special product (for example Example recyclate specialization, natural fibers (for example

Cotton fibers), optical brighteners, plastics, fluorescent components). The concentration of the primary marker bits 192 can be controlled in such a way that they correspond to a typical concentration of the corresponding lyocell-based special product. This means in that

described example that the bitset of the primary marker bits 192 for

Ensuring the additional forgery resistance should preferably not only be “zero” (“zero” means that the bit sequence 182 or the bit set is set without all marker bits). In contrast, the bit set of the secondary marker bits 194 can be an empty bit set, so that the entire possible scope of the binary representation area of ​​this set of secondary markers 194 can be exhausted.

The possibility of the independent presence of the individual primary marker bits 192 makes it possible to ensure that the set of primary marker bits 192 can encode all possible combinations in a Lyocell product 150 and thus can be mapped. The following example illustrates these combinatorial possibilities: If a bit that is represented by the

The presence of a certain concentration of dye residues is defined, and if another bit is considered, which is defined by the presence of a certain concentration of cotton fibers, the following four states can be coded:

The additional secondary marker bits 194 can be used to encode various additional product details regardless of the product composition. For example, the following additional information can be coded using the following five secondary marker bits 194 (SMO to SM4):

A fiber as molded body 102 or a product 150 with the combination SM0 = 0, SM1 = 1, SM2 = 0, SM3 = 1, SM4 = 0 of secondary marker bits 194 can mean in this example: From the manufacturer "w" in 2019 manufactured.

In combination with the set of primary marker bits 192 according to

The previous illustration (cotton bit = 0, dye bit = 1) together with the set of secondary marker bits 194, SM0 = 0, SM1 = 1, SM2 = 0, SM3 = 1, SM4 = 0 can then mean: From the manufacturer "w" in 2019 manufactured

Lyocell fiber with a proportion of recycled material obtained from colored fibers.

The secondary markers 194 can according to an exemplary

Embodiment in particular consist of a phosphor (for example as a specialized form of marking with rare earths). Inorganic phosphors can be suitable for an examination of the authenticity of a product 150 directly by a consumer at the place of purchase

To carry out recycled product.

Certain substances or compounds can be used both as primary markers 192 or as secondary markers 194. For example, fluorescent phosphors can be used as originality markers. Optical brighteners that contain a controllable or selectable proportion of a recyclate

make up, but have very similar optical and physical properties. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, such a luminescent material can be used as a primary marker 192 or as a secondary marker 194, depending on the detailed functionalization, dosage and secondary properties.

While the primary markers 192 can represent independent individual bits (that is to say can be orthogonal in terms of meaning), the secondary markers 194 can form several, but for example at least one, binary number depending on the coding. Such a binary number can have an individually defined meaning or coding which, for example, is only used internally in production. On the other hand, this coding can also be stored in a depository, for example in order to secure the originality of the product 150 in the event of a dispute, so that the end customer can carry out a check himself. The generic representation of the combination of primary marker bits 192 and secondary marker bits 194 to form a superbitset is shown, for example, in the manner shown in FIG.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, by mixing in the spinning solution 104 or in the dope, the marker materials can be kept in a homogeneous distribution (and preferably finely dispersed) so that a uniform distribution of the primary marker bits 192 and the secondary marker bits 194 can be detected Distribution over large amounts of fiber or

Product quantities arise. In particular, such a homogeneous distribution also allows a very low dosage for certain marker materials (for example trace elements, in particular metals, also in particular rare earth metals). In particular, when using marker materials on a nanoscale, it is advantageous to set a high level of dispersion. This can be achieved, for example, or at least supported by exposure to ultrasound and / or microwaves.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the marking principle described is used on an industrial scale. By analyzing the primary marker bits 192 in the recyclate, the textile material cycle factor can be determined. This factor can in turn lead to

Control of the recyclate content and the recyclate composition can be used. Due to degradation and a consequent reduction in the

With an average degree of polymerization, a cellulose fiber 108 can pass through the material cycle of a Lyocell process several times (for example six times) without losing its recyclability. The Lyocell molded body 102 coded via the primary and secondary marker bits 192, 194 enables the corresponding measurement and control methods to be carried out to estimate the textile material cycles and to control the recyclate quality of a recyclate added to lyocell production.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the dope or the spinning solution 104 is one or more contrast or

Indicating agents added, which can be detected in the resulting cellulose fiber 108. The different additives can in turn be included in the coding as individual bits of the super bit set. The contrast and indication means used in accordance with the exemplary embodiment described can be determined by means of different detection methods. This includes nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR spectroscopy), microscopic methods, in particular fluorescence measurement methods,

X-ray methods, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as the

Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES), in particular X-ray and ultraviolet PES (XPS or UPS). Methods for measuring a molecular weight distribution and / or extractable ingredients of the product 150 or of the molded body 102 can also be used in this regard. The same applies to methods for the detection of dye residues in the product 150 or its preform. Contrast or identification means can be used as secondary marker bits 194 because of their independence. Other contrast or identification means can contribute to a function or a result in the cellulose fiber 108 and can therefore be used with advantage as primary marker bits 192. These materials are preferably used on a nanoscale scale and in low concentrations.

In a preferred embodiment, at least two primary markers that are assigned to at least two primary marker bits 192 are used. By measuring the ratio of the quantities of markers to one another,

Conclusions about the dilution in the material cycle or the accumulation of foreign materials during the incoming inspection of the recyclate before the

Form lyocell process.

In a further preferred embodiment, small amounts of a fluorescent marker are added. So that these are less chemically attacked by the lyocell or viscose process, they can be surrounded by a (for example nanoscale glass-like) casing (for example by means of a sol-gel process) before being added to the dope or the spinning solution 104. As a result of the embedding directly in the dope or in the spider solution 104, a high level of protection against washing out and thus a high level of protection against forgery can be achieved in the product. With a suitable dosage of this secondary marker, the authenticity of the recyclate use can be determined directly by the customer himself by means of a stationary spectroscopic analyzer for direct identification of the recyclate product.

An optional additional variant consists in the implementation of an app on a mobile device (for example a mobile radio device such as a smartphone) that is able to carry out the necessary spectroscopic evaluations. The customer can thus check the authenticity of products 150 himself, without assistance, for which a proportion of recycled material or a closed material cycle is claimed.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a Lyocell molded body 102 produced by the Lyocell process can have a

Recycled content (in particular a proportion of old clothes in the starting material 110) of at least 3 percent by weight and at least one intrinsic component for use as a marker with the following marker criteria: a) A proportion of rare earth elements of at least 1 ppm, in particular of at least 5 ppm

b) A proportion of Ti0 2 of at least 5 ppm, in particular of at least 10 ppm

c) A proportion of residual constituents of dyes of at least 10 ppm, in particular of at least 20 ppm

d) A proportion of metal oxides of preferably at least 50 ppm

e) A proportion of a shape-selected particle (for example a spherical particle) of at least 1 particle per mm 3 of molded body volume, preferably more than 10 particles per mm 3 of molded body volume

The Lyocell molded body 102 can advantageously contain a phosphor, preferably an inorganic phosphor.

The Lyocell molded body 102 or the product 150 can by means of a

can be checked for primary markers and / or secondary markers by spectroscopic method. This spectroscopic method can be used, for example, in the context of a sales process for the product 150. This can be done for individual markers or for all markers.

The Lyocell molded body 102 or the product 150 can thus be checked for primary markers and / or secondary markers by means of a preferably mobile device. This can be done for individual markers or for all markers.

FIG. 3 shows a cellulose fiber 200 produced by means of a Lyocell process in cross section. The one made using a Lyocell process

Cellulose fiber 200 has a smooth, round outer surface 202 and is filled with cellulose material homogeneously and free of macroscopic holes. It can therefore be clearly distinguished by a person skilled in the art from cellulose fibers produced by means of a viscose process (see reference number 204 in FIG. 4) and from cellulose fibers from cotton plants (see reference number 206 in FIG. 5).

FIG. 4 shows a cellulose fiber 204 produced by means of a viscose process in cross section. The cellulose fiber 204 is cloud-shaped and has a plurality of arcuate structures 208 along its outer circumference.

FIG. 5 shows a natural cellulose fiber 206 from a cotton plant in cross section. The cellulose fiber 206 is kidney-shaped and has a material-free lumen 210 inside as a completely enclosed cavity.

Based on the significant geometric or structural differences of the fibers according to Figure 3 to Figure 5, it is possible for a person skilled in the art to unambiguously determine, for example under a microscope, whether a cellulose fiber has been formed using the Lyocell process, the viscose process or, of course, in a cotton plant is.

On the basis of the phenomena described with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, a shape (for example determined under the microscope) of the cellulose fibers 108 in a product 150 or a preform of the same can also be made

(For example a molded body 102) are used to create a

Identify test product 158.

In addition, it should be pointed out that “having” does not exclude any other elements or steps and “a” or “a” does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments also in combination with other features or steps of others described above

Embodiments can be used. Reference symbols in the

Claims are not to be regarded as limiting.

Patent claims

A method for identifying a cellulosic product (150), the method comprising:

Determining a data set (180) indicative of a plurality of components of the product (150) or a preform of the product (150);

Storing the data record (180) correlated with the product (150) or the preform in a database (152),

wherein the plurality of ingredients relate to intrinsic non-cellulosic ingredients of the product (150) or preform.

2. The method according to claim 1, having at least one of the following features:

wherein the determined data set (180) is indicative of whether the product (150) or the preform was produced on the basis of a recycled cellulose source (154) as at least part of a starting material (110);

wherein the product (150) or the preform is produced on the basis of old clothes as a cellulose source (154) as at least part of a starting material (110);

wherein the garment-based scrap product (150) or preform as a source of cellulose (154) as at least part of a

Starting material (110) is produced.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the product (150) or the preform is produced at least partially on the basis of a further cellulose source (156), in particular on the basis of at least one material from a group consisting of wood pulp, rag pulp, cotton, cellulose produced by means of a lyocell process and by means of a viscose process

manufactured cellulose.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having at least one of the following features:

wherein the product (150) or the preform is produced on the basis of a starting material (110) which is an inhomogeneous mixture of different

Components is manufactured;

wherein the product (150) or the preform is produced by means of the lyocell process or by means of the viscose process.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the method comprises:

Analyzing a test product (158) to be identified to determine information indicative of a plurality of components of the test product (158);

Matching the information with the record (180) in the database

(152).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the method further comprises:

Determining at least one other data set (180) which is indicative of a plurality of components of at least one other product (151) or a preform of the at least one other product (151);

Storing the data record (180) correlated with the at least one other product (151) or its preform in the database (152).

7. The method according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the method comprises:

Matching the information with the at least one other data record

(180); and

Identifying the test product (158) as belonging to one of the data sets (180) and the at least one other data set (180) if:

the information and this data set (180) show the best possible match, in particular a highest number of

matching bit criteria (184) with regard to one for one

Composition of the product (150) or the preform from the

show at least two components of the indicative bit sequence (182); and / or a discrepancy between the information on the one hand and one of the data set (180) and the at least one other data set (180) on the other hand a predetermined threshold value, in particular a number of unsatisfied bit criteria (184) with regard to one for a

Composition of the product (150) or the preform from the

at least two components of the indicative bit sequence (182), falls below or does not exceed.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, having at least one of the following features:

wherein the data record (180) is indicative of a combination of components present in the product (150), in particular for a combination of components contained in the product (150) in a respective amount; wherein the several components, in particular exclusively, relate to non-cellulosic components of the product (150) or the preform; wherein at least one of the plurality of ingredients relates to at least one cellulosic ingredient of the product (150) or preform; wherein the method during or after a production of the product (150) or the preform, in particular after a coagulation of cellulose-containing filaments from a spinning solution (104), moving the

Product (150) or the preform with at least one extrinsic component (160), for which the data record (180) stored in the database (152) is also indicative;

wherein the record (180) is associated with a production batch of the product (150).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a bit sequence (182) indicative of a composition of the product (150) or the preform from the at least two components is stored in the database (152) as the data record (180) .

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bit sequence (182) comprises:

at least one primary marker bit (192) with content and / or functional and / or material reference to the, in particular Lyocell-based, product (150) or the, in particular Lyocell-based, preform; and at least one secondary marker bit (194) relating to materials of the, in particular Lyocell-based, product (150) or of the, in particular Lyocell-based, preform with a pure marker character, in particular without content-related and / or without functional and / or without material reference to the ,

in particular lyocell-based product (150) or the, in particular lyocell-based, preform.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the product (150) or the preform has molded bodies (102).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the molded bodies (102) are regenerated cellulosic molded bodies (102), in particular fibers, films, sponges or spheres.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the several constituents, in particular exclusively, relate to intrinsic constituents of the product (150) or the preform, which already after extrusion of a spinning solution (104) to form cellulosic molded bodies (102) in and / or were contained on the molded bodies (102).

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, having at least one of the following features:

wherein the intrinsic components and / or the non-cellulosic components have at least one from a group consisting of a trace element, in particular a metal, further in particular one

Rare earth metal, a metal oxide, in particular titanium dioxide and / or zinc oxide, a dye, a phosphor, and a synthetic plastic, in particular elastane and / or polyester;

wherein the intrinsic components and / or the non-cellulosic components originate from old textiles.

15. Use of information measured and stored in a database (152) with regard to at least one intrinsic non-cellulosic component, in particular information regarding a combination regarding several intrinsic non-cellulosic components, a cellulose product (150) made from recycled old textiles or a molded body (102) which the cellulose product (150) was produced, as a code for identifying an origin of the cellulose product (150) or the molded body (102).