NOVELTY - Producing a lignin-coated cellulose material, comprises: (a) providing lignocellulosic biomass feedstock; (b) fractionating the feedstock in the presence of acid, solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; (c) depositing at least some of the lignin, from the liquid, onto a surface of the cellulose-rich solids to generate a lignin-coated cellulose material; (d) optionally mechanically treating the lignin-coated cellulose material; and (e) recovering the lignin-coated cellulose material.    USE - The process is useful for producing lignin-coated cellulose material and cellulose-containing product, where the product is used as structural object, foam, aerogel, polymer composite, carbon composite, film, coating, coating precursor, current or voltage carrier, filter, membrane, catalyst, catalyst substrate, coating additive, paint additive, adhesive additive, cement additive, paper coating, thickening agent, rheological modifier, additive for drilling fluid, and/or its derivatives. The cellulose-containing product is a moisture-barrier pressed pulp product (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The cellulose crystallinity of the lignin-coated cellulose material is at least 70%, preferably at least 85% (claimed). The process provides the cellulose material that: improves durability of paint, protecting paints and varnishes from attrition caused by UV radiation; has high oxygen barrier and affinity to wood fibers for application in food packaging and printing papers; and is suitable as a Pickering stabilizer for emulsions and particle stabilized foam.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing a lignin-coated cellulose material, comprises: (a) providing a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock; (b) fractionating the feedstock in the presence of acid, solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; (c) depositing at least some of the lignin, from the liquid, onto a surface of the cellulose-rich solids to generate a lignin-coated cellulose material; (d) optionally mechanically treating the lignin-coated cellulose material; and (e) recovering the lignin-coated cellulose material. The cellulose crystallinity of the lignin-coated cellulose material is at least 60%, and the lignin-coated cellulose material is at least partially hydrophobic. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) the hydrophobic cellulose composition with a cellulose crystallinity of 70% or greater, where the hydrophobic cellulose composition contains cellulose particles having a surface concentration of lignin that is greater than a bulk concentration of lignin; and    (2) cellulose-containing product comprising the hydrophobic cellulose composition.