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Editorial: Agility and adaptation in a dynamic business world, TAPPI Journal January 2021
ABSTRACT: As we move into 2020, it's interesting to look back at the research topics that were covered in TAPPI Journal (TJ) the previous year. Members of the TJ editorial board organized diverse special issues on lignin, coating ,forming, and diverse papermaking and biorefinery topics, which are discussed in the following sections.
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
Magazine articles
Editorial: Agility and adaptation in a dynamic business world, TAPPI Journal January 2021
ABSTRACT: Being agile and adaptive in this current business world is both necessary and beneficial. Throughout last year, we all continued to both directly and indirectly experience the dynamic world where we live. As we wll know, in early 2020 the pandemic gained momentum and has fundamentally altered our daily lives, both personally in how we live and professionally in how we work.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Editorial: A preview of PEERS 2019, TAPPI Journal September 2019
ABSTRACT: Coming soon is PEERS • TAPPI’s annual Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling and Sustainability gathering for industry professionals. Held this October 27-30 in St. Louis, MO, the conference is co-located with the International Bioenergy & Bioproducts Conference (IBBC) and the 12th Research Forum on Recycling. Universities and research organizations from around the world are represented in the conference content, and below is a sampling of just a few of the many presentations that might interest TAPPI Journal readers.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
PEERS 2023 Poster Session: a competition for students and young professionals, TAPPI Journal April 2023
ABTRACT: Originating in the field of scientific research and academia, poster sessions at conferences may date back to the mid-20th century, although the origins aren’t quite clear. Some sources have said as early as the 1950s and others later, while the term “poster session” itself may not have been coined until the 1975 American Physics Conference. The original concept behind poster sessions was to provide a platform for researchers to share their work in a more visual and interactive format as compared to the traditional long-form oral presentation.
Journal articles
Editorial: Innovation in Paper Science and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, TAPPI Journal October 2026
This is the first in a series of editorial profiles featuring the academic and research portfolios of Forest Products Universities focusing on pulp and paper science and engineering, biorefinery, bioproducts, and other industry-related topics. These profiles include information about faculty, facilities, student success, and future plans. – Arthur J. Ragauskas, Editor-in-Chief, TAPPI Journal
Journal articles
Aqueous polymer dispersions from long chain cellulose fatty acid ester for coating of paperboard, TAPPI Journal October 2026
ABSTRACT: Fiber-based substrates are coated with aqueous polymer dispersions to obtain the necessary barrier properties for, e.g., food service, takeaway, and other packaging applications. There is interest to replace non-renewable substances driven by the concerns over the price stability and depletion of fossil resources, environmental and safety issues, and legislative actions. In this study, we demonstrated that stable aqueous polymer dispersions with solids content of at least 35% can be prepared from a long chain cellulose fatty acid ester (cellulose octanoate) using both solvent-based and thermomechanical processes. In the solvent-based process, water and additives were mixed with a polymer dissolved in chloroform followed by solvent removal. In the thermomechanical method, water and stabilizers were added into polymer melt under mixing in a pressurized reactor. Dispersions were tested as coatings on paperboard and assessed for their grease resistance and water and oil barrier. Oil barrier was clearly improved with most of the dispersions. In addition, proper film formation was necessary for achieving improved water barrier. However, the stabilizing system had a clear impact on the dispersion stability and the water barrier performance of these coatings.
Journal articles
Corrugated medium strength assessments in different flute structures, TAPPI Journal April 2026
ABSTRACT: Recent advancements in our ability to evaluate papers and our understanding of the mechanics of box failure have brought a renewed focus on measuring the performance of corrugated medium and an associated evolution of paper measurement approaches. This study evaluates the load curves, Hardness (where the fluted structure’s loading shifts away from an elastic response), and Concora medium crush test (CMT) values for a range of corrugated mediums in different common flute geometries. The shape of the load curve is a function of the geometry of the fluting profile and the relative stiffness of the paper, with smaller flutes and heavier papers reaching both the Hardness value and the ultimate load at lower deformation. Nonetheless, while the specific dynamics during the loading process vary, Hardness and CMT values correlate linearly between flute structures, even when testing specimens after different equilibration periods post-fluting. These correlations confirm the applicability of the standard A-flute CMT test to a broad range of papers and potential combined board flute structures, supporting quality assurance processes for medium production and optimization in corrugated board manufacturing.
Journal articles
Influence of base sheet properties on barrier coating performance, TAPPI Journal November 2025
ABSTRACT: Paper packaging offers a sustainable alternative to standard plastic-based materials, particularly for food and beverage applications. With reduced fiber treatment options like fluorochemicals, uncoated base stock often provides little-to-no effective barrier against liquid water, oil/grease, or moisture transmission. Despite the lack of natural barrier performance, base sheet properties can significantly influence the efficiency of applied waterbased barrier coatings. In this study, various base stock properties, such as caliper, porosity, roughness, and ash content, are reported to influence the barrier performance of styrene-acrylic and a copolymer of styrene-butadiene/styrene-acrylate based barrier coatings. These findings will help paper and board producers design better, more cost-effective, purposebuilt substrates for barrier applications in the packaging industry.
Journal articles
A laboratory-scale automated vacuum-assisted device for coating of cellulose nanofibrils onto paper, TAPPI Journal November 2025
ABSTRACT: An automated vacuum-assisted coating system was developed to deposit cellulose nanofibril (CNF) layers onto paper substrates, simulating potential industrial geometries while allowing precise control of web speed (10•20 m/min), vacuum time (up to 30 s), and applicator gap (0.5•0.9 mm). Vacuum assistance makes it possible to obtain coat weights over 5 g/m2 in a single pass and increases solids after coating from less than 10% to over 28%• 30%, reducing drying demand by more than 60%. Coat weights were tuned from 6 to over 11 g/m² by varying suspension solids (0.4•0.6 wt%), line speed, and filtration length (20•40 mm), with strong agreement between experimental data and model predictions. Barrier testing showed Kit test values for double folded samples of 9•12 and Gurley air resistances above 4 × 104 s once coat weights exceeded 7 g/m². Comparable performance was achieved with lower fines content CNF (60%) by increasing coat weight, providing technical flexibility and cost advantages for industrial scale-up.