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Effects of tissue additives on copy paper forming and properties, TAPPI Journal February 2024
ABSTRACT: Laboratory tests were conducted in an effort to determine the effects on paper machine process attributes and the properties of paper made from recycled copy paper furnish upon the addition of chemical agents that are commonly used in the production of hygiene tissue products. Due to continuing growth in tissue and towel grades of paper, such agents are experiencing greater usage. Charge titration test results revealed that certain dry strength agents associated with tissue manufacturing have the potential to shift the balance of charge in papermaking furnish to less negative or even positive values. Creping adhesive was found to contribute to fine particle retention, especially when present at relatively high levels. Release aid and a polyacrylate dispersant had the opposite effect. Low addition levels of both a creping adhesive and a debonding agent surprisingly increased a wide range of strength attributes of paper handsheets in comparison to sheets prepared from unaltered recycled copy paper furnish. The debonding agent decreased paper strength at higher levels of addition. Such effects appear to depend not only on the expected effects of agents themselves, but also on how they affect the charge balance of the wet-end system.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Modeling the dynamics of evaporator wash cycles, TAPPI Journal July 2024
ABSTRACT: Kraft pulping is a process that utilizes white liquor, composed of sodium sulfide (Na2S) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), for wood delignification and pulp production. This process involves washing the dissolved organics and spent chemicals from the pulp, resulting in the generation of black liquor. Prior to its use as fuel in the recovery boiler, the black liquor is concentrated in multiple-effect evaporators. During the evaporation process, the inorganic salts present in the liquor become supersaturated and undergo crystallization. Fluctuations in sodium, carbonate, sulfate, and oxalate can give rise to severe sodium salt scaling events, which significantly impact the thermal efficiency of the evaporators, and ultimately, pulp production. Dynamic modeling provides insights into fluctuations in liquor chemistry in the evaporators. The primary objective of this study was to employ dynamic modeling to evaluate the effects of wash liquor recovery from evaporator wash cycles. The dynamics associated with wash cycles encompass variations in the concentrations of salts and solids in the recovered wash liquor, changes in the flow rate of wash liquor recovery, and fluctuations in liquor volume within the liquor tanks. The dynamic model was developed using Matlab Simulink and applied to the evaporation plant of a pulp mill in South America. By utilizing one month of mill process data, the model enabled the evaluation of fluctuations in liquor chemistry due to evaporator wash cycles. The developed model has demonstrated the potential to estimate the concentration of key ions responsible for scaling and to contribute to enhancements in evaporator washing strategies.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Online monitoring of the size distribution of lime nodules in a full-scale operated lime kiln using an in-situ laser triangulation camera, TAPPI Journal June 2024
ABSTRACT: To maximize efficiency of the recausticizing process in a pulp mill, producing a reburned lime with high and consistent reactivity is process critical. Prior investigations have demonstrated a correlation between the reactivity of lime and its nodule size, as well as the dusting behavior of the kiln. Therefore, monitoring the nodule size produced in the lime kiln could be a promising indirect method to measure the performance of the lime kiln. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the utility of a laser triangulation camera for online monitoring of nodule size distribution for the lime kiln. A series of full-scale trials were performed in a lime kiln of a kraft pulp mill in which a camera was installed at the exit conveyor to analyze the lime discharging from the kiln. The nodule size distribution was analyzed for correlation with the lime temperature, flue gas temperature, and rotational speed of the kiln. The monitoring demonstrated temporal stability, and the results showed that the lime temperature had the most significant effect on the nodule size. The rotational speed of the lime kiln and the flue gas temperature showed limited effect on nodule size, but they had significant impact on the specific energy demand. The overall conclusion of the study is that the camera methodology effectively correlates lime temperature with nodule size distribution, and it advocates for the methods of implementation in automating lime temperature control, facilitating the production of consistently reactive lime at a lower specific energy consumption.
Journal articles
Magazine articles
Study on the effect of aluminum diethyl phosphinate in synergy with ammonium polyphosphate on the flame retardancy of cellulose paper, TAPPI Journal April 2025
ABSTRACT: This paper involved the synergistic incorporation of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and diethyl aluminum phosphinate (AlPi) as flame-retardant fillers for producing flame-retardant paper. The research revealed that APPs were square particles with a smooth surface, and their solubility was 0.29 g/100 mL at 20°C, which increased to 4.12 g/100 mL at 60°C. The surfaces of AlPis were rough and irregular. The solubility of AlPi was 0.023 g/100 mL at 20°C, and the solubility remained stable when the temperature increased. The addition of AlPi had a minor influence on the pulp beating degree. The tensile strength of kraft/APP/AlPi decreased with the increase of the AlPi addition. For a paper with 20 wt% APP and 0 wt% AlPi, the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value was 27.2%, and it burned completely at the eighth second during vertical combustion. When the AlPi additive content increased to 20 wt%, its LOI value increased to 32.2%, and the vertical combustion self-extinguished as soon as the flame was removed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the char residue of the kraft/APP/AlPi had a more complete fiber network structure than that of kraft/APP. The Raman spectroscopy indicated that the area ratio of the D (amorphous phase; disordered graphite vibration) band to the G (crystal phase; graphite carbon vibration) band (ID/ IG) ratio of kraft/APP/AlPi was lower than that of kraft/APP, meaning that the graphitization degree of the char residue of kraft/APP/AlPi was higher than that of kraft/APP, which indicated the kraft/APP/AlPi had better flame retardancy.
Journal articles
In-situ process monitoring in deep-drawing of paper using partially transparent tools, TAPPI Journal August 2025
ABSTRACT: The production of three-dimensionally formed packaging from paper by deep drawing usually leads to the occurrence of wrinkles, which result from the high tangential compressive stresses in the flange area and the limited flowability of the material. Wrinkles, although mostly tolerated in industry, end in both a reduced visual appearance and a reduction in usability for packaging, as with, for example, when gas-tightness is required. Previous research efforts have been limited to determining the wrinkle distribution after completion of forming and removal of the formed part. Consequently, the possibility of understanding the sequence of formation of individual wrinkles in the inhomogeneous material is lost. To remedy this situation, a method for local in-situ process monitoring is presented. Using a transparent die and an industrial camera, the flange area can be observed during the forming process. An image processing algorithm is applied to analyze the local development of the deep drawing process from the continuously recorded image data. The method described can be used to analyze the draw-in behavior and wrinkle formation locally and continuously over the drawing depth. The blank holder force influences the draw-in and the wrinkle pattern both locally and throughout the drawing process. A more precise understanding of the wrinkle formation will allow for more efficient process control in the future.
Journal articles
Local delamination in pharmaceutical blister packages • A thermomechanical theory on buckling of heat-sealed composite laminates in flexible packaging, TAPPI Journal July 2025
ABSTRACT: Pharmaceutical blister packages consist of cavities made from a thick polymeric form foil and a thin aluminum lid foil. Heat-sealing technology is usually used to bond the lid foil to the form foil. Occasionally, the sealed area shows buckling defects of the lid foil, which allow contamination to enter into the cavity. A contaminated product is a worst-case scenario for pharmaceutical production and must be avoided. We discuss a thermomechanical theory on buckling defects in blister packages and derive strategies to avoid these. The theory is based on the assumption that the seal of a blister packaging behaves like a laminate of thin composite layers under compressive load. Literature research on buckling of thin laminated films, thermal behavior of polymers, and seal strength of heat-sealed polymers provides the technical and physical background to elaborate the theory. The theory comprises three elements: an initial condition regarding thermal load and precedent defects; a buckling condition; and a crack propagation condition. The plausibility of the theory is verified using model calculations and heat-seal tests. The paper concludes with strategies against buckling of heat-sealed lid foils and an outlook on other applications in laminating and coating of polymer films.
Journal articles
Pilot-made, highly extensible paper for dry 3D forming, TAPPI Journal May 2025
Cellulose fiber-based packaging materials must perform well in demanding three dimensional (3D) forming process conditions. On the other hand, the development of manufacturing concepts is required for improved competitiveness of bio-based materials. This study covers some key factors that influence the extensibility of cellulose fiber-based structures and presents a pilot-scale development study of a 3D formable material concept. Bleached softwood kraft (BSK) pulp from a Nordic pulp mill was used in the pilot trials. Cellulose-based webs were formed using water-laid and foam-laid web forming using a pilot paper machine. For the water-laid forming, the BSK pulp was refined by applying a high consistency (HC) phase at over 40% consistency, followed by a low consistency (LC) refining at 4% consistency. The BSK pulp was refined for the foam-laid forming by only applying lowconsistency refining. In the foam-laid web forming, anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), two foamable latexes, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were used as foaming agents. The pilot rolls were dried at a separate steam cylinder dryer pilot and compacted in-plane in the machine direction (MD) at a separate pilot machine. Tensile properties of the treated paper webs were measured and evaluated with respect to achieved web shrinkage. The same dimensional contraction brought by shrinkage was almost strained out in tensile testing. The results indicated that the shrinkage that occurred by drying and in-plane compaction depended on the pulp furnish. The water-laid material achieved about 30% elongation, whereas the foam-laid material achieved significantly above 50% elongation. The 3D forming performance of the dry materials was tested using fixed and sliding blank methods. The dry paper sheets performed well enough in 3D forming for application to many consumer package applications according to their extensibility.
Journal articles
Pre-damping effects on water absorption and drying dynamics in flexographic printing, TAPPI Journal November 2025
ABSTRACT: Optimizing flexographic printability can involve the ink and the substrate, as well as the printing process. It has been widely reported in the literature that controlling topography of the substrate and its porosity are vital for good flexographic printability, especially when using water-based inks. This study focuses on how pre-damping a surface impacts liquid absorption and improves wet trapping (ink on ink with no intermediate drying) in flexographic printing. A Prüfbau universal print tester was adapted to analyze flexographic wet-on-wet ink printing and trapping using yellow and magenta inks for contrast. Slow drying of the first ink layer (yellow) leads to mottle when the second layer (magenta) is applied. The study explores the “wet sponge” hypothesis: a pre-damped surface should absorb liquid faster. The Lucas- Washburn equation describes long-term absorption, but it does not capture short-term uptake, which instead follows a linear dependence on time.
Journal articles
Effects of biopolymer coatings on paper permeability and capillarity for paper-based rapid diagnostic test devices, TAPPI Journal September 2025
ABSTRACT: Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) devices are widely used for diagnostics due to their affordability, portability, and user-friendliness. However, conventional assays typically rely on nitrocellulose membranes and plastic casings. These materials raise environmental concerns due to their non-renewable nature, energy-intensive production methods, and poor biodegradability. This study explores the development of fully bio-based RDT substrates using a sustainable alternative: softwoodderived microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and chitosan as surface modifiers to improve paper properties and enhance RDT sustainability. Cotton filter paper substrates were coated with different biopolymer formulations using a manual blade coater: bleached MFC (BMFC), lignin-containing MFC (LMFC), BMFC combined with CNC, LMFC combined with CNC, and chitosan. Evaluation of the most relevant physical properties concerning RDT performance was conducted, including wetting, water retention value, air permeability, capillary flow rate, and surface morphology. Results showed that biopolymer- based coatings can effectively modify surface properties by reducing pore size and tuning hydrophilicity, while maintaining the renewable and bio-based characteristics of the substrate. The LMFC-coated paper exhibited the best overall performance among all formulations, reducing flow time by 50% (3.00 mm/s vs. 1.5 mm/s) compared to the uncoated paper, yet preserving high water retention. The BMFC+CNC coating also significantly improved flow rate, showing a 36.7% reduction (2.37 mm/s vs. 1.5 mm/s), and enhanced porosity uniformity. In contrast, the flow rate of chitosan-coated paper decreased by over 5,000% (0.027 mm/s), reflecting its strong barrier properties and hydrophobic surface (highest contact angle: 91.4°). These findings suggest that MFC-based coatings are promising ecofriendly alternatives to nitrocellulose, offering optimized capillary transport and structural adaptability. This paves the way for the development of sustainable, high-performance, rapid diagnostic tests.
Journal articles
Water and grease resistance of paperboard coated with long chain cellulose fatty acid esters using electrostatic powder coating, TAPPI Journal April 2026
ABSTRACT: Fiber-based materials used for foodservice, takeaway, and other packaging applications must typically provide water and grease resistance. Simultaneously, there is growing interest towards bio-based and renewable barrier coatings. In this study we applied thermoplastic long chain fatty acid cellulose esters onto paperboard using electrostatic powder coating to create barrier properties of interest. Electrostatic powder coating provides a water-free process to tackle moisture-induced quality issues and to provide an even coating layer. Cellulose octanoate and palmitate esters were produced in pilot scale. These were ground into fine particles using liquid nitrogen and applied onto paperboard sheets using an electrostatic powder gun. The loosely packed coatings were fixed and fused onto the paperboard by hot pressing. We characterized the coated sheets for coating thickness, contact angles with water, water absorption, grease resistance (KIT), and olive oil barrier. Two commercial polyethylene powders were used as references. Our results indicated that the long chain cellulose fatty acid ester coatings were thermoplastic and hydrophobic with contact angles above 100°. Water absorption was similar to the reference coatings. While grease resistance was lower than with the references, the cellulose ester coatings slowed down diffusion of olive oil through the paperboard. Cellulose octanoate ester with a lower melt viscosity already provided smooth coatings after the initial hot pressing step, while in most cases, the second post hot pressing step further improved the barrier properties.