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The Quest for Sustainability • How Molded Fiber is Changing the Packaging Space, TAPPICon25

Turn the Art of Wastewater into the Science of Wastewater, TAPPICon25

Caliper Dynamic Correlation - Single Point Method TIP 1101-10 (2025)

Caliper Dynamic Correlation - Single Point Method TIP 1101-10 (2025)

Conversion of paper-grade pulp from rice straw into dissolving pulp, TAPPI Journal June 2025

ABSTRACT: About 1,165 million metric tons of rice straw is generated every year worldwide, which can be a good source for the circular bioeconomy. In this research paper, the paper-grade pulp from rice straw was converted to dissolving-grade pulp by fractionation in a biorefinery initiative. Rice straw was cooked at an optimum condition of 8% potassium hydroxide (KOH) charge for 120 min at 150°C and produced a pulp yield of 47.2% with a kappa number of 18.5. Subsequently, D0(EP)D1 bleaching was carried out for the produced pulp, and the brightness of the pulp reached to 82.4%. From the black liquor, 16.5% of the lignin and 11.9% of the hemicellulose were isolated for producing biobased products and chemicals, and then the spent liquor was used for soil amendment. The bleached pulp was fractionated in a Bauer McNett fiber classifier. The pulp fibers retained on 16-, 30-, and 50-mesh screens were used as a longer fiber fraction pulp, and pulp fibers retained on 100- and 200-mesh screens were used as a shorter fiber pulp. The longer and shorter fiber fraction pulps were analyzed for cellulose, R10, pentosan, and viscosity. The long fiber fraction pulps were characterized by higher cellulose (88.2% vs. 83.1%) and lower pentosan (11.3% vs. 13.0%) content than the shorter fiber fraction pulps. The longer fiber fraction was further treated with cold KOH to remove residual hemicellulose. The KOH extraction reduced pentosan content in pulp to 6.3% and increased á-cellulose content to 91.3%. The short fiber fraction was converted to monomeric sugars using cellulase enzymes with varying reaction time, temperature, and consistency. The efficiency of cellulase activity was assessed through glucose yield and residual dry weight. A temperature of 45°C, 5.0 pH, 5% consistency, and 6 filter paper units/gram (FPU/g) o.d. pulp resulted in maximum sugar conversion of 85.7%.

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.

Materials performance considerations in hydrothermal liquefaction conversion of biomass, TAPPI Journal June 2025

ABSTRACT: Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a promising thermochemical route developed to convert woody biomass and biowaste to biochemicals and bio-oils. However, the operating conditions are rather harsh to biorefinery structural metallic components. These conditions include alkaline catalysts such as potassium carbonate (K2CO3); hot, pressurized (sub-critical) water reaction; and medium and aggressive anions chlorine (Cl•) and hydrogen sulfide (H•) released from biomass feedstocks. Thus, selection of suitable structural alloys for biorefinery components involves striking a balance between mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and cost. Alloys currently being considered for this application include ferritic-martensitic steels and austenitic stainless steels. From a corrosion perspective in hot pressurized water, the former typically exhibits higher stress corrosion cracking resistance, whereas the latter exhibits higher corrosion resistance. This study reviews cost-effective corrosion control strategies aimed at increasing the chromium (Cr) content for protective surface oxide formation, as screened by testing in simulated HTL alkaline water, to support materials selection and design. Corrosion control strategies include surface modification (increasing surface Cr content), alloying (increasing bulk Cr content), and stainless-steel type (ferritic vs. austenitic). Of the alloys considered (including those subjected to surface modification), ferritic stainless steels exhibit a promising balance between corrosion and stress corrosion cracking resistance, adding another family of candidate alloys for structural biorefinery component materials selection and design.

The effect of Stachys floridana Shuttlew.ex Benth extract as an additive on the chemical properties of chitosan biodegradable film, TAPPI Journal June 2025

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to explore chitosan with Stachys floridana Shuttlew. ex Benth (SFSB) extract as an additive to prepare an active film. The effects of the SFSB extract on the physical, antioxidant, and bacteriostatic properties of chitosan biodegradable films were studied. The results showed that the addition of SFSB extract significantly improved the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the film, and its biodegradation rate increased rapidly. Compared to the control film, the water solubility was lower at 19.40%, the expansion degree was higher at 288.90%, the water vapor permeability (WVP) was 0.364 g·mm/(m²·d·kPa), the surface hydrophobicity increased, and the mechanical strength was also improved. The contact angle increased to 89.3°. In addition, as the amount of SFSB increased, the thermal stability of chitosan-Stachys floridana Shuttlew. ex Benth (CS-SFSB) films also increased significantly, and their ultraviolet (UV) blocking ability was gradually enhanced. The results indicate that CS-SFSB has potential as a food packaging material.

Process Stability is First Step Toward Process Excellence, Paper360º March/April 2025

Effect of xylan on the mechanical performance of softwood kraft pulp 2D papers and 3D foams, TAPPI Journal March 2025

ABSTRACT: Pulp fibers are paramount in paper products and have lately seen emerging use in fiber foams. Xylan, an integral component in pulp fibers, is known to contribute to paper strength, but its effect on the strength of pulp fiber foams remains less explored. In this study, we investigate the role of xylan in both 2D handsheets and 3D foams. For a softwood kraft pulp, we enzymatically removed 1% from pulp fibers and added 3% xylan to them by adsorption, corresponding to approximately a decrease of a tenth and an increase of a third of the total xylan content. The mechanical properties of 2D fiber networks, i.e., handsheets, made using the xylan-enriched pulp improved, particularly regarding tensile strength and Young’s modulus; however, the decrease in mechanical properties of handsheets made from enzymatically- treated xylan-depleted pulp was more pronounced. In 3D networks • pulp fiber foams, much less fiber-fiber contacts formed, and thus the mechanical properties were not as much influenced by removal of xylan. Furthermore, the presence of the required surfactant on the fibers, acting as debonding agent, overshadows any positive effect xylan might have on fiber-fiber bonding. We propose that the improved mechanical properties for the sheets result from a combination of an increased number of fiber-fiber bonds and higher sheet density, while the deterioration in mechanical properties of handsheets comprising enzymatically-treated fibers is caused by the opposite effect.

Going to the Moon to Grow Food with Cellulose-based Media, Paper360º March/April 2025