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Deposits from different sections of a newsprint paper mill, using 100% recovered paper, were analyzed following an analytical procedure based on SEM-EDX and consecutive solvent extraction steps with FTIR analyses of the different fractions. Polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylates, styrene butadiene rubber and derivatives of fatty acids/resin acids are the main stickies-related components identified in the deposits. The removal efficiency of these contaminants along the deinking line was studied by determining the composition of the dichloromethane extractives in the pulp by FTIR analyses. Although the total stickies content is reduced considerably during the process, some compounds, which are found in the deposits, are not removed selectively in the process, indicating their recalcitrant nature. FTIR analyses of unusable materials coming with the raw material (mainly board and mixed office waste), have demonstrated these materials are one of the main sources of these type of recalcitrant stickies.

An evaluation of 100 Eucalyptus globulus and 100 E. nitens trees (six years old) was made using the Pilodyn micro-drilling tool as an indicator of wood density. Thirty E. globulus and thirty E. nitens trees with high, medium and low density were selected and sampled with an increment borer at breast height for anatomical analysis using fibre tester equipment and the Resistograph device to generate detailed information about fibre biometry and anatomical wood properties of both species for hybrid development. Eucalyptus globulus trees had a basic wood density average of 478 kg/m3, while E. nitens had a density of 490 kg/m3. Both micro-drilling tools showed significant correlation coefficients with basic wood density. Correlation coefficients between basic wood density and Pilodyn values were negative, being -0.53 (p = 0.01) and -0.68 (p < 0.001) for E. globulus and E. nitens, respectively. For both species a positive correlation was observed between basic density and Resistograph mean amplitude; the correlation coefficient was 0.84 (p < 0.001) for E. globulus, and 0.85 (p < 0.001) for E. nitens. Eucalyptus nitens trees had a higher density and amplitude average and smaller Pilodyn values than E. globulus trees, while the latter had higher coarseness, fibre length and diameter at breast height than E. nitens trees. However, E. nitens showed larger differences between features of earlywood and latewood in a growth ring than E. globulus trees.

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The dielectric breakdown of solid polymeric materials is due to the inception and propagation of electrical trees inside them. The remaining useful life of the solid dielectrics could be determined using propagation simulations correlated with non-intrusive measurements such as partial discharges (PD). This paper presents a brief review of the different models for simulating electrical tree propagation in solid dielectrics. A novel improved physical-stochastic model is proposed, which allows quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing the electrical tree propagation process in polymeric dielectrics. Simulation results exhibit good agreement with measurements presented in the literature. It is concluded that the model allows adequately predicting the tree propagation behavior and additional experimental analyses are required in order to improve the model accuracy.