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TAPPI’s 2021 Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award
PCA’s Director-Materials Research and Innovation Named Recipient of TAPPI’s 2021 Gunnar Nicholson Gold Medal Award Highest TAPPI honor recognizes lifelong scientific achievements TAPPI is pleased to
2021 TAPPI Selects Young Professional of the Year
2021 TAPPI Selects Young Professional of the Year Emerging leaders represent International Paper, Jacobs, PCA and WestRock TAPPI is pleased to announce five recipients of this year’s Young
Building Safer Mills: Why Contractor Qualification Is Non-Negotiable
Industry leaders share how proactive qualification practices and digital tools are transforming safety, efficiency, and trust across pulp and paper operations.
News
Member Spotlight: Mike Farrell
Mike Farrell Professional Member Kalamazoo, MI One of the first things that Mike Farrell did after graduating in 1988 with a degree in paper engineering technology from Sault College in Ontario,
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SPOTLIGHT: Laszlo Horvath
Laszlo Horvath, Ph.D. Professional Member Blacksburg, VA You might say the love of all things wood comes naturally to TAPPI member Laszlo Horvath, Ph.D. He grew up in his father’s small furniture
News
From AI-Driven Shopping to Real-World Delivery: Mondi Research Shows Packaging Drives Customer Loyalty in a Digital World
The following article was originally distributed as a press release from Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper. It is being shared here with Ahead of the Curve readers with an interest in sustainable packaging and paper.
Rice straw-based sustainable food packaging material with improved strength and barrier properties: Development and characterization, TAPPI Journal October 2023
ABSTRACT: Sustainable food packaging paper with high barrier and strength properties was developed with rice straw nanocellulose materials. Pulping and bleaching of rice straw were performed using an organosolv pulping and DED (D: chlorine dioxide bleaching; E: sodium hydroxide extraction) bleaching sequence. Bleached rice straw pulp was refined to 90°SR using a laboratory Valley beater. The laboratory handsheets were prepared using pulp slurry at 40°SR and 90°SR. The handsheets of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) made of highly refined pulp (90°SR) were surface sized using alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) wax to increase the barrier properties of paper for selective food packaging applications. The paper samples were tested for mechanical, optical, surface, and barrier properties, including tensile index, burst index, tearing index, bending stiffness, elongation, porosity, apparent density, opacity, Cobb value, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), oil and grease resistance, and contact angle. The refined pulp (90°SR) was analyzed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and it was observed that the morphology of the developed fibers changes to the nanoscale (<100 nm) for at least one dimension. The particle size distribution of the refined pulp using DLS analyzer also confirmed the cellulose fibers to near nanoscale. It was concluded that nanofibers were formed by a high degree of the mechanical pulp refining process and found to be much more economical than alternative processes in this direction. The sample handsheets of CNFs showed good strength and barrier properties. The barrier properties further increased when surface sizing was done using low-cost, nontoxic, and biodegradable AKD wax.
Filtration efficiency and breathability of selected face masks, TAPPI Journal September 2023
ABSTRACT: Face masks have been used as physical barriers to stop respiratory infections for many years. Due to insufficient and low supply of certified masks, alternative face covers such as face shields, neck gaiters, and fabric reusable masks gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, for these alternate face masks to fulfill their intended function, they must be effective. Additionally, the level of breathability provided by the makeshift masks must be at a certain level. The work reported in this paper was carried out to determine the relationship between filtration efficiency (FE), breathability, and important physical characteristics of mask substrates. The fiber diameter of the core filter layer was determined using a scanning electron microscope. Five types of face masks (two types of N95, two types of surgical masks, and a 100% knitted cotton fabric) were tested for their FE and breathability using moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). The cotton knitted mask had the lowest FE (5.10%•26.47%), while the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-certified N95 mask had the highest FE values (92.10%•99.65%). However, the cotton mask outperformed the N95 in terms of the pressure drop, meaning higher comfort. In general, the N95 face mask provided the best protection against aerosolized particles. According to the regression analysis, the fiber diameter of the mask filter substrate serves as an important predictor of FE of mask substrates. In this study, it was confirmed that fiber diameter is inversely related to the filtration ability. Results show that compact structure with finer fibers will enable higher filtration efficiency. The study lends itself to developing layered face masks to obtain optimum filters with good filtration, better fit, and acceptable comfort for the wearer.