Using micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose as a means to reduce weight of paper products: A review

Abstract

Based on publications related to the use of micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) in papermaking applications, three sets of parameters (intrinsic and extrinsic variables, furnish composition, and degree of dispersion) were proposed. This holistic approach intends to facilitate understanding and manipulation of the main factors describing the colloidal behavior in systems comprising of MNFC, pulp fibers, and additives, which directly impact paper product performance. A preliminary techno-economic assessment showed that cost reductions driven by the addition of MNFC in paper furnishes could be as high as USD 149 per ton of fiber (up to 20% fiber reduction without adverse effects on paper’s strength) depending on the cost of papermaking fibers. It was also determined that better performance in terms of strength development associated with a higher degree of MNFC fibrillation offset its high manufacturing cost. However, there is a limit from which additional fibrillation does not seem to contribute to further strength gains that can justify the increasing production cost. Further research is needed regarding raw materials, degree of fibrillation, and combination with polyelectrolytes to further explore the potential of MNFC for the reduction of weight of paper products.

Nanoparticles and essential oils with antiviral activity on packaging and surfaces: An overview of their selection and application

“…Cellulose and its derivatives (Zambrano et al, 2020; Zambrano, Wang, et al, 2021) do not intrinsically have antimicrobial or antiviral properties (Ciolacu & Darie, 2016; Hassan et al, 2016; Haule et al, 2016). Antipathogenic agents such as sorbic acid (Hauser et al, 2016), benzalkonium chloride (K. Liu et al, 2013), copper (Ma et al, 2016), and silver (Lloret et al, 2012; Son et al, 2006) have been successfully incorporated into cellulose nanofibers.…”

An Innovative Computational Strategy to Optimize Different Furnish Compositions of Tissue Materials Using Micro/Nanofibrillated Cellulose and Biopolymer as Additives

“…These decreases are caused by the CMF bonding with the cellulose fibers in the 3D network structures, closing the porous structure. Furthermore, this reduction in porosity is also correlated with the increase in the structure’s apparent density [ 28 ].…”

“…The presence of CMF can present an impact on the structure porosity because of the increasing number of hydrogen bonds present in this nanocellulose. The increase of these bonds is related to its increase in the surface/volume ratio due to the nanosized scale [ 28 ]. By filling the large pores created by the 3D fiber network, the CMF incorporation contributes to smaller pore dimensions and a narrower distribution of the structures, providing abundant pores with a uniform size and, consequently, a decrease in the properties of water absorption capacity and capillarity penetration [ 24 , 25 ].…”

“…This drainage difficulty is also caused by the increased water retention capacity of CMF. However, this dewatering of pulp suspensions containing CMF can be improved with the use of retention aids and also with cationic starch-treated CMF with colloidal silica [ 28 ]. In addition to a negative impact on dewatering, the accumulation of CMF particles in the closed circuit of the tissue machine can increase the viscosity of the recirculating water, thus affecting processability.…”

“…The application of these additives leads to the optimization of strength properties without compromising the softness and absorbency properties of these types of papers. These strategies can allow a reduction of softwood fibers in the production of tissue paper without affecting the strength performance and decrease the overall tissue manufacturing cost [ 24 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. The aim of this work was to perform a comparative study between different tissue furnish compositions and the incorporation of two additives, a commercial tissue biopolymer additive (CBA) as a cationic starch substitute and CMF, and their effect on the properties of the final end-use tissue paper.…”