Patent ID: 8173799

Claim:
A process for making a cellulose ether derivative comprising a) mixing a composition comprising a loose mass of raw cut cotton linter fibers that i) has a bulk density of at least 20 g/100 ml and ii) at least 50 wt % of the fibers in the loose mass passes through a US standard sieve size #10 (2 mm opening) as a starting material with a base to form an activated cellulose mixture and, b) reacting the activated cellulose mixture with at least one etherifying agent to form a cellulose ether derivative product containing a cellulose ether derivative, wherein mixing power of the activated cellulose mixture is 5% lower than the mixing power of the same process using comparably comminuted purified celluloses, wherein the cutting is carried out in a rotary cutter, wherein the upper limit of cellulose content in the fibers in the cut mass of raw cotton linters is 95 wt %, wherein the molecular weight of the raw cut cotton linter fibers as determined by intrinsic viscosity (IV) has not been reduced by more than 20% relative to non-comminuted raw cotton linters, wherein the loose mass of raw cut cotton linter fibers have a number average length range of 253-541.