Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
TOBACCO PLANT DERIVED DYE AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No.
13/460,820 filed April 30, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
Patent
Application No. 12/783,503 filed May 19, 2010.
DESCRIPTION
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to plant-based dyes and
processes for making such dyes. In particular, the present invention relates
to dyes
made from tobacco plant materials and processes for making such dyes. Even
more particularly, the present invention relates to such processes that are
utilized to
produce dyes from tobacco plants in an environmentally-friendly and efficient
manner.
BACKGROUND ART
Plant fiber materials have been utilized for many years to produce
textile from which a wide variety of fabrics can be manufactured. In
particular, it has
been known for many years that the bast fibers of various plants, including
hemp,
flax, jute, nettle, ramie and the like, can be utilized for a wide variety of
different
textiles. The bast fibers grow on the outside of the woody core of the plant's
stalk,
referred to as the xylem, and under the outer most part of the plant (e.g.,
the bark).
These fibers give the plant strength and support the conductive cells of the
phloem,
the layer of the plant just under the bast fibers and in which the valuable
fibers are
located. The bast fibers of the typical plant are attached to the wood core
fibers by
the combination of pectin, a glue-like substance, and calcium ions. In order
to
beneficially use the bast fibers, however, they must be separated from the
rest of the
stalk. Typically, the separation of the bast fibers from the woody core is
1
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
accomplished utilizing a procedure commonly referred to as retting, which is a
process of rotting away the inner plant stalk to leave the outer bast fibers
intact.
Retting is accomplished by micro-organisms either on land or in the water or
by
using chemicals or pectinolytic enzymes.
The most common method of retting comprises placing the plant
material to be retted in a pond, stream, field or tank and exposing the
material to
water for a sufficient amount of time to allow the water to penetrate the
central stalk
portion, swell the inner cells and burst the outermost layer, thereby exposing
the
inner core to decay-producing bacteria that will rot away the inner stalk and
leave
the outer fibers intact, a procedure known as decortification. As well known
in the
art, the retting process results in several environmental issues, primarily
the
production of chemical compounds that can cause pollution if the waste water
is not
properly treated and odors. Although pond and stream retting, which requires
the
plant material to be submerged in the pond or stream, tend to be the fastest
methods of retting they also tend to produce the most pollution. Field
retting, which
involves laying the plant material out in a large field and allowing dew to
collect on it,
takes considerably more time but tends to produce less pollution. Tank retting
typically provides greater control over the process, in which concrete vats or
the like
are commonly utilized as the tank, but it also produces significant toxic
elements in
the waste water that must be treated prior to being released to the
environment. In
some processes, sulphur and other toxic chemicals are introduced into the
system
to speed up and more effectively accomplish the process of separating the bast
fibers from the wood core of the plant stalk.
As well known by those familiar with textiles (as well as many other
products), there has been an increase in demand for products that are made
from
natural materials and for products that are produced in a more environmentally
friendly or "green" manner so as to reduce negative impacts on the
environment.
Products which are both made from natural products and in an environmentally
friendly manner are particularly desired. With regard to plants, whether
utilized for
their fiber or as a food source, there has been a significant increase in the
demand
for naturally or organically grown products. One common feature of producing
such
products is that they are grown with no or at least a significantly reduced
amount of
2
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other products. Many consumers desire
organically grown products because they substantially lessen the likelihood of
pollutants from runoff and groundwater penetration, significantly reduce the
overall
"carbon footprint" by not requiring the production, delivery and application
of
chemicals to the land and/or plants and do not place dangerous and potentially
harmful chemicals into the food chain. The use of natural plant materials for
textiles
has benefitted generally from the increase in the desire for natural products.
Unfortunately, although the use of natural plant materials for textiles does
have the
benefit of being organic, including being able to be grown under organic
conditions,
the retting process of treating the plants to separate the desirable bast
fibers for use
to make the textiles is not generally considered to be organic or
environmentally
friendly.
One plant which has not been heretofore utilized for the production of
textiles is the tobacco plant, which are plants in the genus Nicotiana. There
are
many species of tobacco plants that fall within the genus of herbs Nicotiana,
all of
which are collectively referred to as tobacco plants. Although the leaf of the
tobacco
plant has a long history of use in the United States and elsewhere for
smoking,
chewing and snuff tobacco products, it is believed that the plant fibers have
never
been utilized to form textiles or any textile-related products, perhaps due in
part to
the high value of the leaf of the plant for use in the manufacture of tobacco
products.
The leaves of the tobacco plant are also utilized as an organic pesticide and
in some
medicines. Unlike such plants as hemp and nettle, where it is primarily the
stalk of
the plant that is commercially beneficial (except for some use of the leaves
as a tea
or food item), the tobacco plant is primarily only grown for its leaves. For
consumption as cigarettes and other smoking products, the tobacco plants are
often
fertilized with the mineral apatite to starve the plant of nitrogen and
produce a more
desired flavor. The mineral apatite, however, contains radium, lead and other
compounds that are known to be radioactive carcinogens. After the leaves are
harvested from the tobacco plant, they are cured and aged to allow for the
slow
oxidation and degradation of the carotenoid in the tobacco leaf. The
production of
tobacco plants for tobacco products are known to require the use of a
relatively large
amount of fertilizers and pesticides, which frequently end up in waterways and
the
3
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
food chain. The typical curing process requires a large amount of fuel,
typically
petroleum, coal and natural gas. Many areas of the world that do not have
sufficient
access to these fuel sources utilize a large amount of wood for the curing of
the
tobacco leaves, which is known to be a contributing factor to deforestation.
The use of tobacco, particularly in the form of cigarettes and other
smoking products, is known to cause a variety of health issues, including
cancer,
that can lead to death. As a result of the health issues associated with use
of
tobacco products, the availability of such products is limited to persons over
the age
of eighteen in the United States. In addition, many government and other
organizations actively and strongly encourage people to quit using such
tobacco
products through public service announcements and the imposition of taxes that
are
directed solely at tobacco products. Smoking and other uses of tobacco are
banned
in most public and work places. Due to the various negative health, cost,
convenience and other issues related to the use of tobacco products, their use
has
significantly decreased over the years. This decrease in use is anticipated to
continue over time. As a result, there is likely to be excess production
capacity for
tobacco plants that will allow its economical use as a natural textiles, dyes
and other
products. Presently, however, there is no known process for converting the
otherwise harmful tobacco plant into a textile, dye or other useful product
that is
efficient, economical and environmentally-friendly.
Dyes for changing the color of fibers and the like are known to have
been in use for many thousands of years. Dyes can be made from a variety of
sources, including animal, plant and mineral materials. The most common form
of
dyes originate naturally as plants, typically the berries, roots, bark, leaves
and wood
portions thereof. Natural dyes are also known to be made from fungi and
lichens.
Although dyes were commonly made from these and other natural products,
currently dyes are generally synthetically produced from a wide variety of
different
chemicals. In fact, from a commercial standpoint, natural dyes are rarely
produced
in large-scale quantities. When produced, natural dyes require the use of a
mordant
to improve the fastness of the dye and to protect against color degradation
due to
water, light and perspiration. As well known, mordants are utilized to set a
dye on a
fibers, fabrics and other materials and accomplish this objective by forming a
4
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
coordination complex with the dye that then attaches to the material to be
dyed.
One concern with regard to mordants is that the selection of a mordant for a
particular coloring use is critical, as the final color of the material to be
dyed can be
highly affected by the choice of the mordant. In addition, most mordants
contain
heavy metals, which are known to be hazardous to persons and harmful to the
environment if the mordant is not properly stored, handled or disposed. In
light of
the problems associated with mordants, there is a desire for a natural dye
that can
be readily, efficiently and relatively cheaply produced and which can be
utilized
without a mordant.
What is needed, therefore, is a dye that is made from tobacco plant
materials and a process for efficiently and effectively transforming these
materials
into dyes and other useful products. Preferably, the dye should be made from
one
or more components of the tobacco plant. The preferred process for making a
tobacco-based dye should be adaptable for utilizing organically grown tobacco
plants and be able to produce dyes and other useful products from such plants
in an
efficient, economical and environmentally-friendly manner. Preferably, the
process
for making dye from tobacco plants should be selected so as to not contaminate
the
environment and/or not result in health problems for those utilizing the
process.
5
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The dye and process for making dye from tobacco plants of the
present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified
above.
That is to say, the present invention discloses a new dye which is made from
tobacco plants and a process of utilizing tobacco plants to produce such a
dye. The
dye and process of making the dye of the present invention utilize organically
raised
tobacco plants and, as a result, effectively encourages organically raised
tobacco
plants. The textile is made, in whole or part, from fibers derived from
tobacco plants.
The process of the present invention transforms tobacco plants into dyes and a
variety of other products in an efficient, economical and generally
environmentally-
friendly manner. The process of the present invention allows use of a plant
that is
primarily only utilized presently to produce harmful tobacco products and
encourages use of that plant for dyes, textiles, essential oils and other non-
harmful
products. As such, the process of the present invention will provide a
significant
new use for what is generally considered a plant that is seen as having an
increasingly diminishing use. In one embodiment, the process of utilizing
tobacco
plants of the present invention will utilize all portions of the tobacco
plant. In another
embodiment, the leaves and the stem of a tobacco plant are utilized to make a
dye
that can be utilized with all types of textiles and fabrics, including tobacco
plant
derived textiles and fabrics.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a new textile is made from
tobacco plant fiber, which is derived from tobacco plants. In a preferred
configuration of this embodiment, the tobacco plants are organically grown to
reduce
or eliminate the use and introduction of chemicals into the environment and to
reduce the amount of energy and water required to grow, harvest and process
the
tobacco plants. The tobacco plant fiber is manufactured to form a fabric that
can be
used for clothing, coverings, bags and many other uses. If desired, the
tobacco
plant fiber can be mixed with secondary material fibers that comprise natural
fibers,
such as those from animals, plants or minerals and/or synthetic fibers, such
as those
that are derived from petroleum or other materials, to form the textile and
achieve
certain desired properties for the textile. In the preferred embodiment, the
tobacco
plant fiber is derived from the tobacco plants by treating tobacco plant
material with
6
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
a heated liquid solution, preferably by percolating the solution onto the
tobacco plant
material. The textile can be dyed with a dye that is derived from the tobacco
plants
while producing the tobacco plant fiber.
The process of deriving a tobacco plant fiber from one or more tobacco
plants of one embodiment generally comprises the steps of obtaining tobacco
plant
materials from the tobacco plants and treating the tobacco plant materials in
a
treating system to transform the tobacco plant material into the desired
tobacco
plant fiber. In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco plants are organically
grown and
the process utilizes substantially the entire tobacco plant to produce the
tobacco
plant fiber. Preferably, the treating system is a closed-loop system to
eliminate
discharge or release of material to the environment and to reduce the amount
of
materials and energy needed to transform the tobacco plant materials to
tobacco
plant fiber. The preferred treating system percolates a hot liquid solution,
comprising water, ammonia-dioxide and sulphur-dioxide, onto the tobacco plant
materials and allows the tobacco plant materials to essentially stew in their
own juice
to breakdown the plant material into the desired tobacco plant fiber.
Percolating the
hot liquid solution onto the tobacco plant materials produces steam, which is
condensed and directed back into the treating system. Liquid from the treating
system and from dewatering the pulp produced by the treating system is
utilized as a
natural dye for coloring the tobacco plant based textile or other textiles.
In the primary embodiment of the present invention, a dye is made
from selected tobacco plant materials, namely the leaves and stems of tobacco
plants. The process 50 of the present invention generally includes the steps
of: (1)
grinding the tobacco plant material with a grinding apparatus; (2) placing the
ground
tobacco plant materials in a stainless steel vessel; (3) adding treated water
to the
tobacco plant materials to produce a first solution; (4) adjusting the pH of
the first
solution; (5) adding a first enzyme cocktail to the tobacco plant
material/water or first
solution to produce a second solution; (6) heating the second solution; (7)
adjusting
the pH of the second solution; (8) adding a second enzyme cocktail to the
second
solution to produce a third solution; (9) heating the third solution; (10)
adjusting the
pH of the third solution; (11) re-heating the third solution; (12) cooling the
third
solution; (13) transferring the third solution to a process vessel through a
titanium
7
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
filter system having titanium plates to adjust the pH of the third solution;
and (14)
blending the third solution with a blender having titanium blades. This
process
produces a dye concentrate. If desired, a quantity of liquid dye can be
produced by
adding water to the dye concentrate.
In the preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention,
the tobacco plant materials are obtained from organically grown tobacco
plants. The
water is treated prior to mixing with the tobacco plant materials by passing
the water
through a titanium filtration system to adjust the pH of the water to
approximately
7.5. The grinding apparatus grinds the tobacco plant materials to a level of
fineness
that is selected to produce a desired color and hue of the final dye. Prior to
adding
the first enzyme cocktail, which comprises plant enzymes pectate lyase and
xylanase, the pH of the first solution is adjusted using soda ash or the like.
After
heating the second solution, the pH of the second solution is adjusted to the
desired
level using acetic acid or buffers. Once heated and pH adjusted, the second
enzyme cocktail, comprising the plant enzyme cellulase, is added to the second
solution to produce the third solution. The third solution is then heated and
pH
adjusted, using soda ash or the like, and then heated. The thirds solution is
then
cooled and transferred to the process vessel through the titanium filter,
which
adjusts the pH level of the third solution and converts any undissolved
materials in
the solution to a neutral state. The third solution is then blended in the
blender,
which has titanium blades to adjust the pH of the tobacco-based dye
concentrate.
The juices of the tobacco plants and the added enzymes will break down the
leaves
and stems, the tobacco plant materials, of the tobacco plants to produce the
dye
having the desired color, shade and hue. If desired, an additive such as
ferrous
sulphate can be added to the dye produced by the above process to intensify
the
color, produce a different shade or hue and to stabilize the dye. Unlike other
natural
dyes, the dye produced by the process of the present invention does not
require the
use of a mordant to attach itself to the fibers, textiles and fabrics, whether
produced
from tobacco plants or other natural or man-made products. Other than not
requiring a mordant to set the dye, the dye of the present invention is
utilized in
substantially the same manner to color fibers, textiles and fabrics. Unlike
the
8
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
process of producing other natural dyes or synthetic dyes, the process of the
present invention does not produce any waste material.
Accordingly, the primary aspect of the present invention is to provide a
tobacco plant derived dye and a process for making such dyes from tobacco
plants
that has the various advantages discussed above and which overcomes the
disadvantages and limitations associated with prior art dyes and processes for
making such dyes.
It is an important aspect of the present invention to provide a process
for making dyes and other products from tobacco plants that is accomplished in
an
efficient, economical and environmentally-friendly manner.
It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a
tobacco plant derived dye and process for making such dyes, as well as other
products, that provides substantial cost and environmental benefits by
facilitating
and encouraging the use of organically-raised tobacco plants.
It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a
natural dye that is made from tobacco plants and which can be utilized with a
wide
variety of textiles, including natural textiles such as wool and cotton and
textiles that
are made from tobacco plants.
It is also an important aspect of the present invention to provide a
tobacco plant derived dye that permanently dyes a textile or fabric, is more
resistant
to fading than other dyes and does not require a mordant to stabilize the dye
and
bond it to the textile or fabric.
Yet another important aspect of the present invention is to provide a
process that comprises a substantially closed-loop system which utilizes a
heated
liquid solution to break down tobacco plant materials so as to produce a
liquid that
can be utilized as a dye.
The above and other aspects and advantages of the present invention
are achieved by the present invention. These aspects and advantages are
explained in greater detail in the description of the preferred embodiments
which
follows and by reference to the attached figures. As set forth herein, the
present
invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of
operation and
combination of the above presently described and understood by the claims.
9
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the
best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
FIG. 1 is a chart summarizing the overall process of deriving a textile
and dye from tobacco plants configured according to one embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a chart summarizing the hot liquid solution utilized in the
process summarized in FIG. 1 to produce tobacco plant fibers and a natural dye
from tobacco plants;
FIG. 3 is a chart that generally summarizes the steps of producing a
dye according to the process of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a chart that summarizes the steps of producing a dye
according to one embodiment of the process of the present invention.
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like
numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present
invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth
below.
The enclosed text and drawings are merely illustrative of one or more
preferred
embodiments and, as such, disclose one or more different ways of configuring
the
present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and
uses are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of variations to
the
components and to the configuration of those components described herein and
in
the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function
of
the invention set forth herein. For instance, although the figures and
description
provided herein show certain steps and compounds for the process of producing
fiber and dye from tobacco plants, those skilled in the art will readily
understand that
this is merely for purposes of simplifying this disclosure and that the
present
invention is not so limited.
A process for producing textiles and dyes from tobacco plants that is
configured pursuant to one of the embodiments of the present invention is
shown
generally as 10 in FIGS. 1. A process for producing a dye from tobacco plants
that
is configured pursuant to the primary embodiment of the present invention is
shown
generally as 50 in FIG. 3. As set forth in more detail below and summarized in
FIGS. 1 and 3, processes 10 and 50 preferably utilize organically grown
tobacco
plants 12. In the process 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2, the tobacco plants 12 provide
the
tobacco plant material 14 that is treated to produce tobacco plant fibers 16
which are
utilized to form a textile 18 that is processed to form fabric 20 that can be
used to
make clothing, handbags, bags, rope, covers, bedding and a wide variety of
other
materials that are commonly made from textiles that have natural and/or
synthetic
fibers. In a preferred configuration, the process 10 also produces a natural
dye 22
and other useful by-products from the tobacco plants 12. In the process 50,
tobacco
plants 12 are also utilized to produce the natural dye 22. Although tobacco
plants
12 grown according to current non-organic methods can be utilized in the
processes
11
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
and 50, organically grown tobacco plants 12 are preferred due to the fact that
such tobacco plants 12 do not require the use of chemicals which are typically
considered to be potentially harmful to the environment. As shown in FIGS. 1,
2 and
3, the preferred configuration of the processes 10 and 50 of treating the
tobacco
5 plants 12, or portions thereof, does not introduce any harmful chemical
wastes into
the environment that may be configured as a closed-loop system that
substantially
reuses all of the materials produced by the processes 10/50 that is not
selected as
an end product thereof (e.g., the textile 18 and dye 22). As set forth in more
detail
below, the process 10 preserves the various beneficial features of tobacco
plants 12
10 to produce tobacco plant fibers 16 that are utilized in a unique textile
18 which can
produce fabrics 20 of exceptional value. Likewise, as also set forth in more
detail
below, the process 50 of the present invention takes advantage of the various
beneficial features of tobacco plants to produce a dye 22 that can be utilized
to color
a wide variety of fibers, textiles and fabrics without the use of a mordant.
The process 10 utilizes a procedure the inventor generally refers to as
"bio-degumming" to take advantage of the unique properties of the various
available
varieties of tobacco plants 12 to breakdown the fibers 16 thereof in an
environmentally non-impact manner that results in little damage to the fibers
16
produced by the process 10. The bio-degumming of process 10 does not utilize
or
result in the harmful chemicals and other waste products that are typically
used or
associated with breaking down the pectin during the standard decortification
procedure used to separate the bast fibers from the woody core of plants. In
addition, the process 10 includes a method of bio-digestion that uses the
whole
plant, including the stem and leaves, in an anaerobe environment to breakdown
all
elements of the fiber, stem and leaf into the desired useful fibers 12 and dye
22.
When the bio-digestion is stopped at the correct time, which is likely to vary
with
different varieties of tobacco plants 12, the tobacco leaves, stems and waste
fiber
are in the desired condition, without loss of strength and feeling brittle
(which can
occur with other processes and/or plants). In addition to not requiring any
additional
chemicals, enzymes or other auxiliary materials, the process 10 does not
compromise the natural color, aroma and fragrance of the tobacco plants 12,
which
are then beneficially utilized in the textiles 18 and fabrics 20 produced by
process
12
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
10. The natural liquor produced by the non-invasive process 10 allows the
tobacco
plant fiber 16 and dye 22 to be unique for processing into the desired textile
18.
As stated above, a preferred embodiment of the process 10 utilizes
organically grown tobacco plants 12 as the source of the plant materials 14
that is
converted to the textile 18, dye 22 and any other products. The organically
grown
tobacco plants 12 for use with process 10 can produce abundant crops,
including
leaf and stem fiber plant materials, without the use of pesticides, herbicides
or
defoliants due to the fact that tobacco plants 12 will be grown for the
dedicated
purpose of being utilized by the process 10 to produce textiles 18 and dyes 22
instead of being grown for smoking, chewing and like tobacco products. One
benefit
of utilizing tobacco plants 12 for fiber instead of wood chips is that the
stem, leaves
and other plant material of the tobacco plant 12 has twice as much cellulose
and
fiber per unit weight. A benefit of utilizing organically grown tobacco plants
12 is that
the use of tobacco plant fibers 16 therefrom would be an environmentally-
friendly
alternative to synthetic petroleum-based fibers and wood pulp. Overall, as
will be
readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, process 10 benefits human
health and
the environment and lowers the usage of water and energy to produce the same
type of products.
Although a wide variety of tobacco plant varieties may be utilized for
the process 10 of the present invention, the Burley, Virginia, Oriental and
Basma
varieties are believed to be most suited for being grown organically, e.g.
with no
herbicides, pesticides or other chemicals, for the process 10. Preferably,
only
natural insects would be used to control pests. Because the process 10 of the
present invention utilizes the entire tobacco plant 12, including stems and
leaves,
the process 10 effectively allows the entire tobacco plant 12 to be
biodegradable.
Other benefits of the process 10, particularly with regard to facilitating the
use of
organically grown tobacco plants, is that it will result in higher overall
yield, lower
production costs, lower capital costs and far less pollution, energy
consumption and
water usage. Because the tobacco is not cured for the process 10, there will
be a
further reduction in energy usage and much less need for wood, thereby
reducing
the impact on the environment, particularly the soil and air. Presently, it is
believed
13
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
there is very little, if any, tobacco plants 12 that are grown in an organic,
environmentally-friendly manner.
As stated above, preferably the process 10 of the present invention is
configured to be a closed-loop system, as best shown in FIG. 1. Because the
tobacco plants 12 are more plant-like than tree fiber, toxic chemicals are not
required to break down the tobacco plant 12 into a pulp or fiber-like pulp
that can be
utilized to form the tobacco plant fibers 16 for the textile 18 of the present
invention.
Instead, the process 10 of the present invention utilizes the natural
chemicals in the
tobacco plant 12 to break down the tobacco plant material 14 to obtain the
desired
fibers 16. Basically, as set forth below, the tobacco plant materials 14 stew
in their
own juice for a sufficient amount of time, which is likely to depend on the
variety of
tobacco plant 12, to produce the tobacco plant fibers 16. Although individual
components of the tobacco plant 12 can be utilized in the process 10 of the
present
invention, the preferred configuration of the process 10 utilizes the entire
tobacco
plant 12 to increase fiber product, improve efficiency and reduce waste. As
also
stated above, process 10 is believed to be applicable to all varieties of
tobacco
plants 12. In addition to providing tobacco plant fiber 16 that is used for
textiles 18,
which can be made into a variety of fabrics 20, the process 10 also produces a
natural dye 22 that, as shown in FIG. 1, can be utilized with the tobacco
plant-
derived textile 18 (or the textile 18 can be the natural color of the tobacco
plant fiber
16) and with other textiles. As set forth in more detail below, the dye 22
produced by
the process 10 is permanent, is more resistant to fading and does not require
a
mordant to stabilize the dye and bond it to the textile 18 or any other
textile.
The process 10 of the present invention, best summarized in FIG. 1,
preferably comprises a treating system 24 that applies a heated liquid
solution 26 to
the tobacco plant material 14 to interact with the plant materials 14 so they
will stew
in their own juices and break down the plant materials 14 into the tobacco
plant fiber
16 and dye 22. Preferably, the treating system 24 is a closed-loop system.
Water in
the closed-loop treating system 24 will be reused to treat the plant material
14 or
used to produce the dye 22. The tobacco plants 12, which are preferably
organically
grown, are harvested to obtain the tobacco plant materials 14 that will be
utilized in
the process 10. In contrast to normal tobacco harvesting, the entire tobacco
plant
14
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
12 is harvested from the field, significantly simplifying the harvesting
process. In
fact, under certain circumstances, it may be beneficial, for various reasons,
to
harvest the tobacco plants 12 by hand instead of utilizing machinery to reduce
fuel
consumption and the pollution that is associated with mechanical harvesting.
Once
harvested, the tobacco plant materials 14 are placed inside the closed-loop
treating
system 24 and a hot liquid solution 26 is applied to these tobacco plant
materials 14.
In one embodiment, the ratio of hot liquid solution 26 to tobacco plant
materials 14 is
approximately 4.5% by weight, with the hot liquid solution 26 at a temperature
of
approximately 170 F and applied for approximately 180 minutes, as necessary to
sufficiently soften the tobacco plant materials 14. Some varieties of tobacco
plants
12, may require a higher or lower liquid temperature and/or a shorter or
longer
exposure time period. Typically, the hot liquid solution 26 will break down
the
tobacco plant materials 14 and result in a breakdown of approximately 55% of
the
weight of the tobacco plant materials 14, which is approximately 12.8% to 17%
higher material remaining than wood pulp or linen.
The application of the hot liquid solution 26 to the tobacco plant
material 14 produces steam that significantly aids in the necessary breakdown
of the
tobacco plant material 14. The steam also sets the dye liquor of dye 22 as a
permanent solution that does not require the use of heavy metals or salts. In
the
preferred embodiment, the hot liquid solution 26 is achieved by heating water
in an
environmentally-friendly manner, such as using a geothermal source 28 (as
shown
in FIG. 2), solar energy or other such sources. As also shown in FIG. 2, in a
preferred embodiment, the hot liquid solution 26 comprises heated water,
ammonia-
dioxide and sulphur-dioxide, which are mixed into solution and applied to the
tobacco plant material 14 in the treating system 24. Experimentation by the
inventor
has found that this combination creates a chemical reaction with the tobacco
plant
material 14 that beneficially breaks down the tobacco plant material 14 into
the
desired pulp material 30, which is then used to make tobacco plant fiber 16,
and
produces a high quality, useful dye 22 without creating the various
environmental
issues associated with other fiber processes. As will be readily appreciated
by
persons skilled in the art, the water used in the hot liquid solution 26 of
process 10
should be clean and not contain any chemicals, such as chlorine or the like.
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
In the preferred embodiment, the hot liquid solution 26 is applied to the
tobacco plant material 14 utilizing a drip percolation process, which has been
found
to sufficiently soften the tobacco plant material 14, including the leaves,
into the
desired tobacco plant fiber 16. Application of the percolating hot liquid
solution 26
onto the tobacco plant material 14 converts the material 14 to fiber 16 and
produces
steam, which breaks down stalk portion of the tobacco plants 12. For use as a
textile 18, the pulp material 30 is removed while still in a fibrous stage.
For use to
make paper, the pulp material 30 is as soft (e.g., near-liquid form) as
possible to
produce the desired thin fiber 16. The pulp material is then washed and
dewatered
to produce the tobacco plant fiber 16 that is used to form the textile 18. The
textile
is then processed into the desired fabric 20 by spinning, weaving, knitting,
crocheting, bonding, pressing or by other known processes or combinations
thereof
as applicable for the fabric 20. Among other products, the textile 18 can be
utilized
to form yarn, thread, fleece or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the steam that
is
produced in treating system 24 is condensed back into liquid and directed back
into
the hot liquid solution 26 and any non-condensable gases are dissipated. By
recycling and reusing materials and utilizing the entire tobacco plant, the
closed,
integrated environment of the treating system 24 reduces or substantially
eliminates
any pollution from the process 10.
The fiber 16 produced by the process 10 invention has been found by
the present inventor to have an innate aroma that impregnates the fiber 16 and
a
fragrance that fully penetrates the fiber 16, which is in contrast to other
natural and
synthetic fibers. The fragrance, which smells good, is subtle, yet somewhat
complex. In addition, further contrasting with other fiber materials, the
fragrance is
retained by the fiber 16 of the present invention for a very long time and has
been
found to, in effect, regenerate itself with mild washing. The oils produced in
the
process 10 and imbedded in the fibers 16 naturally softens the fabric 20,
significantly
reducing the need for other chemical products to soften the clothes or other
items
made from fabric 20. The resulting fiber 16 is strong, yet soft and rather
luxurious
with a natural uncompromising sheen. The fiber 16 looks and feels like fine
silk, yet
it can be spun into bulky yarn for outerwear used with outdoor fabrics. The
colors
created of the fabric 20 resulting from fiber 16 produced by the process 10 is
a
16
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
natural, unique color that is saturated into the fiber 16 and lasts through
many
washings, making the fabric 20 highly valuable without compromising the fiber
16.
As also summarized in FIG. 1, some of the excess liquid that is applied
to the tobacco plant material 14 in the treating system 24 is returned in the
process
10 to be reused in the hot liquid solution 26. The remaining portion of the
liquid,
particularly that which is removed during the de-watering of the pulp material
28 is
utilized to produce the dye 22. In effect, the process 10 creates its own dye
22 that
can be utilized to dye the textile 18 which is produced from the tobacco plant
fiber 16
and/or other textiles (e.g., those that are not produced by the process 10).
One
particular advantage of the dye 22 that is produced by the process 10 is that
it does
not require a mordant to saturate the textile 18 or other textiles. Instead,
the dye 22
permanently attaches itself to a textile, including textile 18, to effectively
become
part of the textile 18, as opposed to other dyes that do not attach themselves
to the
fibers and, therefore, require a mordant to dye textile 18. This feature,
which is
unique to tobacco plants 12, substantially allows full utilization of as much
of the
tobacco plant 12 as possible in a single process, namely the process 10. The
elimination of the need for the mordant to set the dye 22 reduces the
requirement for
additional chemicals and, as such, provides a number of environmental
benefits.
As stated above, the dye 22 that is produced by the process 10 can be
utilized to color the textile 18 produced from the tobacco plant fiber 16,
other textiles
and/or blends of the textile 18 and other textiles. For purposes of the
present
embodiment, the fibers that are utilized to produce other textiles are
referred to as
secondary material fibers 32, as shown in FIG. 1. Secondary material fibers 32
may
be natural fibers, such as those obtained from animal, plant or mineral
sources
(including wool and cotton), and synthetic fibers, such as nylon, polyester,
acrylic
and the like, or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. The
availability,
desirability and beneficial uses of the various secondary material fibers 32
are
generally well known in the art. As shown in FIG. 1, the secondary material
fibers 32
can be mixed with the tobacco plant fiber 16 to produce the desired textile 18
having
properties of the combined fiber. The dye 22 produced by process 10 has a wide
range of available color hues, estimated to be 50 or more color hues, ranging
from
pale to intense colors. The color of the dye 22 is primarily affected by the
variety of
17
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
tobacco plant 12 and the stage of growth the tobacco plant 12 is at when it is
harvested.
The uses for the fiber 16, textile 18 and dye 22 made from tobacco
plants 12 are virtually unlimited. The ability of fiber 16, derived from the
process 10,
to be utilized for a wide variety of different products will create a new
market for
tobacco plants 12 and encourage the tobacco plants 12 to be organically grown,
providing a new, environmentally-friendly use for a plant that is now
considered by
many to be toxic and not beneficial to society. In fact, the process 10 could
be
utilized to support a completely sustainable economy from the farm to the
factory,
which will be beneficial for local employment, while leaving a very small
"footprint" on
the region or regions where the tobacco plants 12 are growing and being
processed
into fiber 16. Unlike presently available means of producing fiber, the
process 10
produces fiber 16 by utilizing virtually the entire tobacco plant 12 without
the use of
toxic chemicals that are discharged to or disposed in the environment.
With regard to the process 50 of the present invention, the preferred
embodiment thereof utilizes organically grown tobacco plants 12 as the source
of
the tobacco plant materials 14 that are converted to dye 22. Organically grown
tobacco plants 12 for use with process 50 can produce abundant crops,
including
leaf and stem materials, without the use of pesticides, herbicides or
defoliants due to
the fact that the tobacco plants 12 will be grown for the dedicated purpose of
being
utilized by the process 50 to produce dyes 22 instead of being grown for the
normal
smoking, chewing and like tobacco products. As set forth above, one benefit of
utilizing organically grown tobacco plants 12 to produce dye 22 is that the
use of
such tobacco plants 12 would be a significant environmentally-friendly
alternative to
synthetically produced dyes. Other benefits of the process 50 of the present
invention to produce dye 22, particularly with regard to facilitating the use
of
organically grown tobacco plants, is that the process 50 will result in higher
overall
yield, lower production costs, lower capital costs and far less pollution,
energy
consumption and water usage. Because the tobacco is not cured for the process
50
of the present invention, there will be a further reduction in energy usage
and much
less need for wood, thereby further reducing the impact on the environment,
particularly the soil and air. Overall, as will be readily appreciated by
those skilled in
18
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
the art, process 50 of the present invention benefits human health and the
environment and lowers the amount of water and energy that would otherwise be
necessary to produce similar products.
The process 50 of the present invention, summarized with regard to a
somewhat specific embodiment in the chart of FIG. 3, generally comprises the
steps
of: (1) grinding the selected tobacco plant material 14; (2) adding water to
the
tobacco plant materials 14; (3) processing the tobacco plant material/water
solution
by adjusting the pH of the solution, heating the solution, adding enzymes to
the
solution and then heating the solution again; (4) additional processing of the
solution
by adjusting its pH, adding other enzymes to the solution and heating the
solution;
(5) adjusting the pH of the solution, heating the solution and then cooling
the
solution; (6) filtering the enzyme treated solution with a filter having
titanium plates;
and (7) blending the solution with a blender having titanium blades. The
process 50
summarized above produces a concentrate form of dye 22, which may be further
processed by adding water to obtain liquid dye 22.
More specifically, the process 50 of the present invention, which is set
forth in the chart of FIG. 4, includes the steps of: (1) grinding tobacco
plant material
14 with a grinding apparatus 52; (2) placing the tobacco plant material 14 in
a
stainless steel vessel 54; (3) adding pH-treated water to the tobacco plant
materials
14 to produce a first solution 56; (4) adjusting the pH of first solution 56;
(5) adding a
first enzyme cocktail 58 to the first solution 56 to produce a second solution
60; (6)
heating second solution 60; (7) adjusting the pH of the second solution 60;
(8)
adding a second enzyme cocktail 62 to second solution 60 to produce a third
solution 64; (9) heating the third solution 64; (10) adjusting the pH of the
third
solution 64; (11) heating the third solution 64; (12) cooling the third
solution 64; (13)
transferring the third solution 64 to a process vessel 66 through a filter 68
having
titanium plates 72; and (14) blending the third solution 64 with a blender 70
having
titanium blades 74. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the
art, the
process 50 set forth above produces a dye concentrate 76 that can be processed
into a liquid dye 22 by adding water thereto.
The stainless steel vessel 54 is utilized to process the tobacco plant
materials 14 that are derived from the green and/or dried tobacco plant waste.
In
19
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
the process 50 of the present invention, the tobacco plant materials 14 that
are
utilized to produce dye 22, which is initially in the form of dye concentrate
76, are the
leaves and stem portions of the tobacco plants 12, which in the preferred
embodiment of the process 50 of the present invention are organically grown
(for the
benefits described above with regard to process 10). Unlike process 10, the
stalk of
the tobacco plants 12 are not utilized in process 50. Because the stalks are
not
utilized to produce the dye 22 in process 50, it is not necessary to, in
effect, steam
explode the stalks in order to obtain the pulp material 28 that becomes the
tobacco
plant fiber 16 (as shown in FIG. 1). The use of green versus dried tobacco
plant
materials 14 will affect, along with the variety of the tobacco plants 13, the
color of
the dye 22 produced by the process 50 of the present invention. As set forth
above,
the process vessel 66 has a filter 68 that is associated therewith which has
titanium
plates 72 that adjust the pH of the third solution 64 to a pH level of
approximately
2Ø This use of the titanium plates 72 in the filter 68 also converts any
undissolved
materials that may be in the tobacco plant materials 14 (e.g., non-tobacco
plant
materials) to a neutral state, meaning to non-reactive materials having a pH
of
approximately 8Ø
Once the tobacco plant materials 14 are selected and separated out
from the tobacco plants 12, the grinding apparatus 52 grinds the tobacco plant
materials 14 to a fineness level which is chosen based on the intensity of the
color
that is needed for desired shades and hues. In addition to depending on the
fineness (or lack thereof) of the tobacco plant materials 14, the color and
hues of the
resulting dye will be affected by the variety of the tobacco plants 12 and
when in
their growth stages the tobacco plants 12 were harvested. The inventor has
achieved up to thirty-five colors for the dye 22 with approximately thirty
shades of
each color having been created, including a variety of hues. As will be
readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art, a variety of grinding apparatuses 52
can be
utilized with the process 50 of the present invention to provide the desired
fineness
of the ground tobacco plant materials 14. In one configuration, the grinding
apparatus 52 has titanium blades. Although the tobacco plant materials 14 may
be
ground while in the stainless steel vessel 54, preferably they are ground
outside the
vessel 54 and then transferred to inside the vessel 54 for further processing.
The
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
use of a stainless steel vessel 54 is preferred due to the known qualities of
such
vessels for process 50, namely the vessel 54 will be easy to clean and will
not
absorb materials so as to reduce the likelihood of any cross-contamination.
Once the tobacco plant materials 14 are ground and placed in the
stainless steel vessel 54, if not already there, then water is added to the
ground
tobacco plant materials 14, as the wetting solution, to produce a first
solution 56.
Prior to mixing with the tobacco plant materials 14, the water is filtered
through a
titanium filtration system to achieve a pH of approximately 7.5 for the water.
In the
embodiment of FIG. 4, approximately 15 ml of the treated water is added to
approximately 200 grams of ground tobacco plant materials 14. After the water
is
added, the pH of first solution 56 is adjusted to approximately 5.0, using
soda ash as
necessary to achieve the desired pH level. Once the pH level is achieved, a
first
enzyme cocktail 58 is added to the first solution 56 to produce a second
solution 60.
The first enzyme cocktail 58 comprises a mixture of plant enzymes, namely
pectate
lyase and xylanase. In the embodiment above, approximately 150 grams of the
first
enzyme cocktail 58 is added to the first solution 56. The second solution 60
is then
heated to approximately 150 F for sixty minutes in stainless steel vessel 54.
Once
heated, the pH of the second solution 60 is adjusted to approximately 11.5
using a
material such as acetic acid or buffers. When the second solution 60 is at the
desired pH level, a second enzyme cocktail 62 is added to second solution 60
to
produce a third solution 64. In the embodiment described above, 250 grams of
the
second enzyme cocktail 62, which comprises the plant enzyme cellulase, is
added to
the second solution 60. The third solution 64 is then heated to 140 F for
ninety
minutes. After being heated, the pH of the third solution 64 is adjust to
approximately 10.0 using soda ash or the like as necessary to achieve the
desired
pH level. The third solution 64 is heated to 180 F for twenty-five minutes
and then
cooled to 75 F.
The cooled third solution 64 is transferred, typically by pouring, to a
process vessel 66 through a filter 68 having titanium plates 72 that adjusts
the pH
level to approximately 2.0, which converts the undissolved materials in the
third
solution 64 to a neutral state (meaning being non-reactive and having a pH of
approximately 8.0). A variable high speed blender 70 having titanium blades 74
is
21
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
utilized to blend the third solution 64 and adjust the third solution 64 to
the desired
pH level so as to prepare the tobacco-based dye concentrate 76. As will be
readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art, the interaction between the third
solution 64
and the titanium plates 72 and blades 74 will adjust the pH level of the third
solution.
Hot water, which may be treated as described above, is added to the dye
concentrate 76 to produce liquid dye 22. The volume thereof is stabilized by
the pH
level and steam is produced. In the above embodiment, the process 50 produces
approximately 5.5 pounds of dye concentrate 76, which will produce 2,000 ml of
liquid dye 22. As will be readily appreciated by persons skilled in the art,
the dye
concentrate 76 can be hydrated according to well known processes to produce
the
liquid dye 22.
As set forth above, the tobacco plant materials 14 will stew in their own
juices and the plant enzymes of the first 58 and second 62 enzyme cocktails to
break down the tobacco plant materials 14 into dye 22 during the process 50.
The
tobacco plants 12, which are preferably organically grown, are harvested in a
manner that facilitates obtaining the tobacco plant materials 14 therefrom
that will be
utilized in the process 50 of the present invention. One particular advantage
of the
dye 22, or the dye concentrate 76, produced by the process 50 of the present
invention is that it does not require a mordant to saturate textile 18 or
other textiles
(e.g., non-tobacco plant textiles). Instead, dye 22 permanently attaches
itself to a
textile, including textile 18, to effectively become part of the textile 18,
as opposed to
other dyes that do not attach themselves to the fibers and, therefore, require
a
mordant to permanently dye the textile 18. A significant advantage of process
50 is
that it produces no waste.
With regard to the embodiment set forth in FIG. 4, the process 50 of
the present invention includes the steps of: (1) grinding tobacco plant
materials 14,
namely the leaves and stems, with a grinding apparatus 52 to a desired level
of
fineness depending on the color and hue desired for dye 22; (2) placing 200
grams
of the ground tobacco plant materials 14 in a stainless steel vessel 54; (3)
adding
15 ml of treated water to the ground tobacco plant materials 14 to produce a
first
solution 56; (4) adjusting the pH of first solution 56 to 5.0 using soda ash
or the like;
(5) adding 150 grams of the first enzyme cocktail 58 to the first solution 56
to
22
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
produce a second solution 60; (6) heating the second solution 60 to 150 F for
sixty
minutes; (7) adjusting the pH of the second solution 60 to 11.5 using acetic
acid or
buffers; (8) adding 250 grams of the second enzyme cocktail 62 to the second
solution 60 to produce a third solution 64; (9) heating the third solution 64
to 140 F
for ninety minutes; (10) adjusting the pH of the third solution 64 to 10.0
using soda
ash; (11) heating the third solution 64 to 180 F for twenty-five minutes;
(12) cooling
the third solution 64 to 75 F; (13) transferring the third solution 64 to a
process
vessel 66 through a filter 68 having titanium plates 72 to adjust the pH level
to 2.0;
and (14) blending the third solution 64 with a blender 70 having titanium
blades 74.
The process 50 set forth above produces 5.5 pounds of dye concentrate 76,
which
can be converted to approximately 2,000 ml of liquid dye 22 by adding hot
water to
the dye concentrate 76.
As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the specific
volumes and amounts of tobacco plant materials 14, water and enzyme cocktails
58/62 and the specific pH levels, temperatures and processing times set forth
in the
example above and in FIG. 3 are for exemplary purposes only and are not
intended
to limit the scope of the present invention. As will be readily appreciated by
those
skilled in the art, these volumes, amounts, pH levels, temperatures and times
will
need to be adjusted depending on the quantity of dye 22 desired to be produced
and are likely variable depending on the variety of tobacco plants 12 used to
produce the dye 22 and the growth stage the tobacco plants 12 were at when
harvested for production of dye 22. These and other factors are likely to
require the
process 50 to be adjusted with regard to the specific quantities, pH and
temperature
levels and times to achieve the characteristics the user desires for the dye
22.
As stated above, one advantage of the process 50 of the present
invention is that it produces no waste. As well known in the art, the process
of
producing natural dyes generally results in waste materials that must be
treated or
otherwise processed. The natural dye 22 that is produced by the process 50 of
the
present invention can be utilized to color the textile 18 produced from the
tobacco
plant fiber 16, other textiles and/or blends of the textile 18 and other
textiles. The
dye 22 produced by process 50 has a wide range of available colors and color
hues,
ranging from pale to intense colors. The color of the dye 22 from process 50
is
23
CA 02873619 2014-11-13
WO 2013/165857
PCT/US2013/038549
primarily affected by the fineness to which the selected tobacco plant
materials 14,
which are the leaves and stems of the tobacco plants 12, are ground, the
variety of
the tobacco plants 12 used in the process 50 and the stage of growth the
tobacco
plants 12 were at when harvested. If desired, an additive such as ferrous
sulfate or
the like, can be added to the dye 22 (including the concentrate 76) to
intensify the
color and/or to stabilize the dye 22. In use, the dye 22 that is obtained by
the
process 50 of the present invention is applied to fibers, textiles and
fabrics, whether
made from tobacco plants 12 and/or other materials, in the same manner as for
other natural dyes. Unlike conventional natural dyes, the dye 22 of the
present
invention does not require use of a mordant to set the dye 22. Once dyed, the
color
of the final dyed materials will be permanently set.
While there are shown and described herein one or more specific
embodiments of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in
the art
that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various
modifications and
rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and
scope
of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention
is subject
to various modifications with regard to any dimensional relationships set
forth herein,
with regard to its assembly, size, shape and use and with regard to the
materials
used in its construction. For instance, there are a number of components
described
herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning components to
accomplish
the objectives of the present invention.
24
