Search
Use the search bar or filters below to find any TAPPI product or publication.
Filters
Content Type
Publications
Level of Knowledge
Committees
Collections
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Lignin-based resins for kraft paper applications, TAPPI Journal November 2019
ABSTRACT: We investigated miscanthus (MS) and willow (W) lignin-furfural based resins as potential reinforce-ment agents on softwood and hardwood kraft paper. These resins might be sustainable alternatives to the commercial phenolformaldehyde (PF) resins. Phenol is a petrochemical product and formaldehyde has been classified as a carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The lignin used in this study was derived from hot water extraction (160ºC, 2 h) of MS and W biomass, and may be considered sulfur-free. These biorefinery lignins were characterized for their chemical composition and inherent properties via wet chemistry and instrumental techniques. The resin blends (MS-resin and W-resin) were characterized for their molecular weight, thermal behavior, and mechanical properties. Mechanical properties were measured by the resin’s ability to reinforce softwood and hard-wood kraft papers. The effect of adding hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA), a curing agent, to the resin was also examined. Mixtures of PF and lignin-based resins were investigated to further explore ways to reduce use of non-renewables, phenol, and carcinogenic formaldehyde. The results show that lignin-based resins have the potential to replace PF resins in kraft paper applications. For softwood paper, the highest strength was achieved using W-resin, without HMTA (2.5 times greater than PF with HMTA). For hardwood paper, MS-resin with HMTA gave the highest strength (2.3 times higher than PF with HMTA). The lignin-based resins, without HMTA, also yielded mechanical properties comparable to PF with HMTA.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Creating adaptive predictions for packaging-critical quality parameters using advanced analytics and machine learning, TAPPI Journal November 2019
ABSTRACT: Packaging manufacturers are challenged to achieve consistent strength targets and maximize pro-duction while reducing costs through smarter fiber utilization, chemical optimization, energy reduction, and more. With innovative instrumentation readily accessible, mills are collecting vast amounts of data that provide them with ever increasing visibility into their processes. Turning this visibility into actionable insight is key to successfully exceeding customer expectations and reducing costs. Predictive analytics supported by machine learning can provide real-time quality measures that remain robust and accurate in the face of changing machine conditions. These adaptive quality “soft sensors” allow for more informed, on-the-fly process changes; fast change detection; and process control optimization without requiring periodic model tuning.The use of predictive modeling in the paper industry has increased in recent years; however, little attention has been given to packaging finished quality. The use of machine learning to maintain prediction relevancy under ever-changing machine conditions is novel. In this paper, we demonstrate the process of establishing real-time, adaptive quality predictions in an industry focused on reel-to-reel quality control, and we discuss the value created through the availability and use of real-time critical quality.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Numerical analysis of the impact of rotor and screen hole plate design on the performance of a vertical pulper, TAPPI Journal April 2025
ABSTRACT: The dissolving of mechanical pulp is one of the most important process steps in stock preparation, since pulping occurs at the very beginning of the papermaking process. Efficient mixing of the pulp in a short amount of time is essential to achieve high furnish volume flow rates. The design of the rotor, as well as the pulper vat and inserts, significantly affects the overall performance of the pulper, such as mixing efficiency and power demand. Using advanced numerical methods such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can accelerate the development process. The CFD simulations allow for detailed analysis of flow phenomena, making it possible to study a real-size machine numerically. This approach is particularly advantageous because it can reduce the need for timeconsuming and costly experiments associated with scaling up test rigs. In this study, we compared two different rotor designs utilized in a vertical pulper and evaluated the numerical results with experimental data. Rotor A is designed for low turbulence and low power demand, while rotor B is designed for high turbulence with high power demand. The CFD results showed good agreement with the experimental measurements. We investigated how the rotor design influences the free fluid surface and the mixing efficiency. Our study also highlights the differences in results depending on whether water or furnish is simulated, which exhibit Newtonian or, respectively, non-Newtonian fluid behavior. Additionally, a detailed numerical investigation of various screen hole plate designs revealed that the newly developed hole design significantly reduces pressure loss compared to a standard drilled hole. This outcome was consistent for both types of fluids investigated: water and furnish.
Journal articles
Editorial: Special issue on Paper Physics highlights continued focus on packaging, TAPPI Journal August 2025
ABSTRACT: It is a great pleasure to present this special issue of TAPPI Journal, featuring papers from the 2024 International Paper Physics Conference (IPPC) that have been peer-reviewed for publication in this journal. The conference was held in Wuppertal, Germany, from September 30 to October 2, 2024. This IPPC series is one component of the annual meeting of the International Paper Physics Committee and community, complementing the Fundamental Research Symposia established in 1957 — and the Progress in Paper Physics meetings.
Journal articles
A targeted approach to produce energy-efficient packaging materials from high-yield pulp, TAPPI Journal August 2025
ABSTRACT: Unlike fossil-based plastics, wood-based packaging materials can be produced in an ecofriendly manner using wood chip residuals from sawmills and pulpwood. To produce high-yield pulp like chemithermomechanical pulps (CTMPs) for paperboard and liquid packaging, it is crucial to reduce the electric energy consumption during fiber separation. The ultimate objective is to revolutionize paperboard production by achieving a middle-layer CTMP process that consumes less than 200 kilowatt-hours per metric ton (kWh/t), significantly improving from the current 500•600 kWh/t energy demand. Optimizing the CTMP impregnation process of sodium sulfite (Na2SO3) in wood chips is crucial for achieving uniform softening, ideally at the fiber level. The properties of the fibers are significantly affected by the content of lignin sulfonates within the walls of the fiber and the middle lamellae. In this study, we employed in-house developed X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques, validated by beamline measurements, to map the distribution of sulfonated lignin within fibers. It also seemed possible to enhance the surface area of lignin-rich pulp fibers while losing minimal bulk by refining them with well-optimized low consistency (LC) refining. We aimed to achieve a highly efficient separation of coniferous wood fibers by co-optimizing the sulfonation and the temperature in the preheater and chip refiner. Additionally, we explored how lignin’s softening behavior and potential crosslinking influence subsequent unit operations, including pressing, peroxide bleaching, and drying, following the defibration process. In defibration during chip refining, the maximum softening of wood fibers is preferred to maximize fiber preservation and minimize energy consumption. However, optimizing the stiffness of finished pulp fibers is preferable to reduce bulk loss during paperboard production. It can strive to optimize processes to develop stronger, lighter, and more sustainable composite packaging materials. Reducing environmental impact and electric energy can help create a more sustainable future.
Journal articles
On the design of corrugated boards: A new FEM modeling and experimental validation, TAPPI Journal August 2025
ABSTRACT: This study presents a simplified finite element modeling (FEM) approach suitable for large structures made of corrugated boards, such as customized packages, based on a homogenization method, which is combined with correction factors for internal mechanisms. The homogenization process reduces computational time by transforming flute geometries into equivalent elastic models. In large deformations and in the presence of contact for a given geometry, the effective elastic modulus in the thickness direction, as well as the effective thickness of the structure, are corrected by two statistical Weibull distributions representing the contact and buckling mechanisms in a corrugated board. The Weibull parameters are obtained via experimental analysis, and such a process is then validated. The results demonstrate that the statistical parameters (â1 = 0.14, â2 = 1.31) can be used for the simplistic representation of corrugated boards, being computationally efficient. This research contributes to the optimization of corrugated packaging design, specifically by simplifying FEM models for faster, yet equally accurate, simulations.
Journal articles
Editorial: Design considerations for developing high-quality flexible packaging laminates, TAPPI Journal July 2025
ABSTRACT: The global flexible packaging industry has constantly evolved by developing new materials, film design, polymer processing techniques, and machinery to overcome challenges posed by consumer demands, regulation, and societal pressure. While achieving superior quality and improved mechanical film attributes has always been the cornerstone for new technical developments in this industry, the end-of life shortcoming for most plastic films has driven the value chain to strive harder to design and develop sustainable packaging structures.
Journal articles
19th European PLACE Conference highlights challenges of balancing sustainability with product protection, TAPPI Journal July 2025
ABSTRACT: The European PLACE (Polymers, Laminates, Adhesives, Coatings and Extrusion) Committee was founded in 2023 with the goal of continuing a biennial conference for the flexible packaging and converting industry, including converters, OEMs, raw materials suppliers, and academia. Previous iterations of the PLACE Conference were organized by TAPPI, but the new European Place Committee has now found a home within bdvi e.V. (Bund Deutscher Verpackungsingenieure), which is the Association of German Packaging Engineers, a registered nonprofit organization.
Journal articles
Data-efficient determination of machine-specific process windows in thermoforming using the example of PCR materials, TAPPI Journal July 2025
ABSTRACT: In an industrial context, process windows for thermoplastics in thermoforming processes are still often determined through time-consuming trial-and-error approaches. This results in increased effort when commissioning new machines, implementing new technologies, or substituting sheet materials. One key reason is the lack of methods that allow for efficient, process-related assessment of material behavior and a quantitative definition of a “target state” of the heated sheet in relation to geometry and process conditions. In this study, we present the In-Situ Thermoforming Characterization (ITC) method as an application-oriented approach that enables format-independent evaluation of material behavior directly within the forming station of a thermoforming system. The method was successfully applied to a material substitution case, replacing conventional virgin polypropylene (PP) with post-consumer recyclate (PCR) — in this case, recycled PP (rPP) — in the production of a defined cup geometry. The results enabled the transfer of existing process knowledge from the virgin material to the recyclate, thereby accelerating material qualification. Based on the collected data, material behavior under process conditions could be mapped within the design space, making it possible to identify machine settings that deliver equivalent forming results in our test setup. Overall, the method shows strong potential for efficient and precise determination of machine-specific process windows.
Journal articles
Editorial: Investing in Amercian advanced manufacturing, TAPPI Journal June 2025
ABSTRACT: American manufacturing is seeing a renewal, which is needed to boost jobs in America, particularly in the middle and manufacturing base of the country. The ongoing tariff situation emphasizes the importance of protecting domestic manufacturing. There is U.S. congressional agreement, in principle, to bring back manufacturing to the United States. However, given how the global trade and manufacturing space has shifted in the last four decades, it may not be a comparative advantage to manufacture low margin and labor-intensive products. Officials in the current U.S. Administration have stated that manufacturing of socks and T-shirts is not necessarily in the interest of the United States, but focusing on value-added products is essential. While silicon chips, solar panels, and batteries are key items of interest, advanced textile materials such as those that find applications in industrial products and composites, products that can save human lives, and products for protecting the environment are highly-valued items that cater to national security.