Boosting the elongation potential of paper by mechanical refining and additives

Anders Strand, Jarmo Kouko, Antti Oksanen, Kristian Salminen, Annika Ketola, Elias Retulainen, Anna Sundberg

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingPublished conference proceedingScientificpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The drying technique will severely affect paper properties. In this work, the main differences between restrained drying and unrestrained drying on paper properties were identified. The mechanical properties of paper were studied as a function of low-consistency mechanical refining energy, wet-end additions of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with cationic starches, as well as spray addition of alginate, chitosan and cationic guar gum. Low-consistency refining: After restrained drying, the tensile index and tensile stiffness increased with increasing refining energy, but the elongation at break was severely limited. After unrestrained drying, the elongation at break increased linearly with increasing refining energy. However, unrestrained drying also resulted in significantly lower tensile index and tensile stiffness values. Wet-end addition: After restrained drying, the largest increases in tensile index and stiffness were obtained by sequential wet-end addition of CMC and cationic starches. Certain combinations could mitigate all of the decrease in tensile index from unrestrained drying, while maintaining the distinctively high elongation potential of the paper. Wet-end addition of CMC and cationic starches could mitigate some of the decrease in tensile stiffness, but not completely. Spray addition: Spray addition of alginate, chitosan, or cationic guar gum increased the tensile index after both restrained and unrestrained drying. Spray addition of alginate resulted in significant increases in elongation at break and 2D formability of the handsheets after unrestrained drying. After restrained drying, the tensile stiffness increased after spray addition of all of the different polysaccharides. After unrestrained drying, however, the stifthess was unaffected by all of the tested polysaccharide spray additions. The main differences between restrained and unrestrained drying on paper properties were revealed. Restrained drying resulted in very stiff paper after prolonged refining, with certain wet-end additions, or with spray additions of polysaccharides, but the elongation potential of the fiber network was quite limited. Unrestrained drying resulted in high elongation at break values as a result of prolonged refining, with certain wet-end additions, or sprayaddition of polysaccharides, but the tensile stiffness was very limited. It was concluded that the same pulp treatment/additives will increase either stiffness or stretch depending on the drying technique, but both properties could not be maximizedsimultaneously.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPaper Conference and Trade Show, PaperCon 2018
PublisherTAPPI Press
Pages761-770
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9781510871892
Publication statusPublished - 2018
MoE publication typeA4 Article in a conference publication
EventTAPPI Paper Conference and Trade Show, PaperCon 2018 - Charlotte, United States
Duration: 15 Apr 201818 Apr 2018

Publication series

NamePaper Conference and Trade Show, PaperCon 2018
Volume2

Conference

ConferenceTAPPI Paper Conference and Trade Show, PaperCon 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityCharlotte
Period15/04/1818/04/18

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