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A composite filler was developed by pre-flocculation of fiber fines and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) particles with flocculants such as cationic polyacrylamide (cPAM) and bentonite. The composite filler was compared with a conventional loading method in terms of physical properties of handsheet and filler retention. The handsheets using the composite filler showed higher strength properties than that using a conventional loading at a similar paper ash content level, implying that paper ash content can be increased maintaining same level of paper strength. Optical properties such as opacity and brightness of the paper with the composite were quite similar with the paper with the conventional loading. Filler retention of the composite filler was slightly higher than that of the conventional loading even though retention aids were not used for the composite filler. Paper formation of the composite filler was better than the case of the conventional loading. However, the sheet with the composite filler showed lower bulk than that with the conventional loading. Conclusively, the composite filler technology by pre-flocculation of fines and filler has a potential to be utilized to produce a high loaded paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice straw pulps produced under different conditions were subject to near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. At the same time, samples from those pulps were used to make handsheets, whose mechanical properties were measured. These values and those of brightness were successfully fitted to the pulping variables. Relating them to the NIR spectra, we found valid correlations for all parameters except the burst index, concluding that NIR spectroscopy could be used as an economical, timesaving and non-intrusive way to predict the mechanical strength of pulps before the paper sheet is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A custom peel testing device has been developed to measure adhesion strength of flexible thin film layers. The device overcomes the inherent problems of traditional peel machines that are associated with inaccurate peel angle definition and complex sample clamping. To demonstrate its performance, we have compared peel adhesion of currently used paper-based and polymer-based banknotes. Polymer banknotes have shown higher peel strength, which may yield greater durability and ensure increased lifetime in intensive use during circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] Depending on xylan source, a different effect on paper strength was observed. [•] Cationization of xylan improved the strength enhancement. [•] A main influence on the paper strength was the absorption of cationic xylan. [•] Optimal absorption and strength were observed at a medium degree of cationization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Selecting an appropriate paper deacidification agent is very important for the deacidification of paper. The use of three deacidification agents (i.e., iso-butylamine, calcium propionate, and borax) is studied for the deacidification of paper using the immersion treatment by investigating the paper surface pH, alkaline residue, paper whiteness, strength, and other performance indicators. Results show the deacidification by borax solution not only results in the promotion of a proper pH range, high level of alkali reserves, and ignorable influence to paper appearance, but also to the enhancement of the mechanical intensities of paper even after artificial aging. Supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2SCF), as a solvent system, is used in the deacidification of acidic papers using the borax solution of water and alcohol. CO2SCF improved the deacidification process by significantly improving the pH value and the base residual value. The borax in supercritical fluids can be better combined with cellulose hydroxyl to improve the mechanical properties of paper substantially. The treatment of borax in CO2SCF could be an alternative for acidic papers. Aside from improving the pH and depositing a sufficient alkaline residual, CO2SCF also strengthens the mechanical properties of treated papers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Paper material produced after about 1850 contains additives that cause progressive acidification of the cellulose matrix, which can result in severe degradation of the material and simultaneous deterioration in its strength properties. This problem has affected whole stocks of libraries and archives, in response to which the process of 'mass deacidification' has been developed. In this study, the structure and chemistry of the active reagent used in the main variant of this process has been identified as magnesium n-propoxycarbonate. The reagent, introduced in an inert fluorinated solvent, neutralizes acids in the paper matrix and simultaneously deposits a reserve of alkaline magnesium salts that counteract re-acidification. At the same time, it is much less alkaline than the magnesium alcoholates so that alkali-induced degradation reactions of cellulose (β-alkoxy elimination) are avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacture of low density paper such as tissue and towel utilizes the creping process that consists of adhesively bonding the paper in wet state onto the surface of a smooth drying cylinder and scraping it off with a blade once dried. In this paper, a mechanics of materials description of the creping process is presented. Based upon previous experimental observations, the mechanism of this creping process is proposed as a periodic debonding with a strength-of-materials failure criterion applied and buckling sequence of an elastic thin film. Numerical calculations show results consistent with experimental data and known industrial observations. Crepe wavelength versus creping angle data from experiments can be satisfactorily reproduced by a reasonable set of values for input parameters to the model. Parametric study shows the adhesive shear strength and the sheet stiffness most significantly affect the crepe wavelength and the creping force. The model provides guidance in understanding and optimizing the creping process to produce high quality products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of glycerol concentration and coating weight on biopolymer-coated paper properties were investigated using response surface methodology. Tests were run on the coated papers to determine water vapor barrier and mechanical properties. Coating weight was the most important parameter affecting water vapor permeability (WVP). Conversely, increasing coating weight led to a decrease in WVP and to an increase in tensile strength (TS) of the resulting coated papers. The papers coated with sodium caseinate (NaCAS) exhibited lower WVP values than those coated with other biopolymers. The TS of the papers coated with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and chitosan was not affected by the glycerol concentration. HPMC-coated papers were higher in TS and %E than the other coated papers. For all types of coated paper, a maximum level of coating weight and level of glycerol concentration within range of 18.72–26.11% were found to be optimum for minimum WVP and maximum TS and %E. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Wheat straw has been used as a pulping resource in China for many years. Wheat straw pulp (WSP) was widely used to substitute high quality chemical pulps such as those made from wood in producing writing and printing paper to reduce production cost of the resultant paper products and to improve paper smoothness without sacrificing paper strength. In this study, the process of co-refining of WSP and bleached hardwood kraft pulp (BHKP) was compared with the traditional separate refining and then blending these two pulps. The differences in refining energy consumption, the resultant pulp morphological and drainage properties, as well as the mechanical properties of the paper handsheets made of the resultant pulps were examined to explore the potential advantages of the co-refining process. The results show that the co-refining process has the potential to reduce refining energy consumption by at least 30% without affecting handsheet tensile and tear strength at a slightly lower re-wet tensile strength. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Impact of maintenance conditions upon the paper resistance was investigated. Dependencies of tensile strength and resistance to bending of different paper type on paper fibers direction and humidity were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the mechanical characteristics of paper packaging. The ecological aspects of paper packaging, such as biodegradability and its low production costs have made these type of packaging widely used. The study used computational modeling, and possible mathematical models, to determine the strength of paper packaging under compression.

Abstract: Cockling of paper is a common problem occurring in the production, storage and end-use of paper. It is usually induced by a moisture content change. In many cases, cockling is an irreversible phenomenon; i.e. the initial shape is not obtained although the initial moisture content is restored. This kind of moisture content change occurs in copying machines and in the printing process, for example. In this paper, we present a continuum mechanical model, which is used to study the irreversible cockling of paper. In the model, paper is treated as an orthotropic elasto-plastic material and the model takes into account the small-scale variation of fibre orientation. The model is used to show the importance of the through-thickness moisture gradient on the cockling phenomenon during a cyclic moisture content change. The results suggest that the moisture gradient is a crucial factor for the irreversible cockling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The stress strain law on the basis of the model of a visco-elastic body is proposed. Procedure for numerical integration of equations of motion is developed. Results of numerical calculations of vibrations of a visco-elastic structure are presented. It is assumed that a paper in a printing device is loaded in its plane and thus a problem of plane stress is analyzed. The principal stresses are calculated and represented at the centers of finite elements. They substantially determine the vibration behavior and stability of the polymeric film. The first eigenmodes are presented for a paper performing transverse vibrations as a plate having additional stiffness due to static tension in its plane. Stresses in the polymeric film in the transverse and longitudinal direction of transportation of the tape were determined by using experimental methods for the symmetric and non-symmetric loads. For the investigation of the eigenmodes a special experimental setup was used in which the eigenmodes of the paper tape were determined by using the method of projection moire under the action of vibrations to the tape of paper for the symmetric load. Comparison of the experimental and numerical results of investigation was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  In this study, a simplified Acoustic Emission (AE) equipment, in essence an AE signal conditioner and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) data acquisition system, is used to study what happens in paper structures during mechanical loading. By the use of such equipment, some parameters that can be extracted are e.g. the stress and strain at onset of AE, the stress and strain at the onset of rapid AE defined as some numerical factor (larger then one) times the initial emission rate, the emission rate at the first stage of loading and the stress and strain at final failure i.e. when the specimen loses its load carrying ability.In this study however, the interest is focused on one particular parameter i.e. the elastic strain energy density W c at onset of AE. This is a parameter with a clear physical meaning and in this study, the correlation between this parameter and a fracture toughness measure, is investigated.The conclusion is that when nine different paper materials (with a large span regarding properties) are considered, there is a correlation (however not linear) between these two parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Results reported in Part 1 of this series showed that paper strength improvements could be optimized by varying pH and the overall content of ionic groups in random terpolymers containing a fixed molar ratio of acidic and basic monomeric groups. Further treatment of kraft fiber slurries with polyaluminum chloride (PAC), after polyampholyte addition, yielded significant strength benefits. The present paper shows how these results can be explained in terms of the streaming potential (SP) of glass fibers, which were used as a model substrate. The data suggest that aluminum ions interact both with the anionic carboxyl groups of the polyampholytes and with anionic silanol groups at fiber surfaces. The streaming potential of the treated surfaces could be changed by varying the pH, the overall density of charged groups of the polyampholytes, the ratio of cationic to anionic groups on the polymer and by post-treatment with polyaluminum chloride. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Studies from this laboratory have documented significant changes in properties when paper is dried in superheated steam rather than, as in all current processes, in air. Extending these investigations to additional important pulp types, to recycled pulps and to filled papers, using commercial furnishes from mills, has identified further grades of paper for which drying in superheated steam enhances key properties. For bleached chemithermomechanical pulps and blends with kraft pulp as used for tissue and toweling, strong paper resulted, with 10% higher bulk. Linerboard from 100% recycled old corrugated containers (OCC) is obtained with various strength properties increased by up to 21% with no densification, actually a 4% increase in bulk. Linerboard from high-yield (55–67%) virgin kraft pulps show 23 to 37% increase in strength and toughness. Filled papers containing 0–10% clay can be produced with the same brightness but about 23% higher tensile index when dried in superheated steam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rolling of a cylindrical drum on a stack of separate paper sheets is studied using the finite element method. A two-dimensional model under plane strain conditions is considered. The material of the sheets is modelled by a linearly elastic orthotropic constitutive law. The friction between the various contacting surfaces is modelled by the conventional Coulomb''s law. As a result of the FEM-calculations, the time development of the displacements, stresses and strains of the paper layers is obtained. The slip behaviour at the various contacting surfaces is presented. The micro-slip pattern of the contacting surfaces in the nip area and, particularly, at the trailing edge of the nip, seems to be the main reason for the tightening effect of the nip. The results are compared to the corresponding results for a solid elastic block under the rolling cylinder. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nowadays our society demands the reuse of industrial products. Then we should not only re-investigate the materials of products but also originate a new design method of industrial products. We have investigated the cellular structure by using abandoned paper, because the cell''s shape can be proposed arbitrarily by folding a paper. As examples, we have proposed the structure constructed by connecting many folded cells formed in a hexagonal cross area. This structure will have characteristics such as almost high rigidity, high stiffness, crushing stress, relative insensitivity to the overall loss of stability. To estimate the characteristics of these structures, we must analyze the deformation in loading. When the structure with thin walls formed by paper is loaded, the shape of deformation is different from that of the metal, wall swells and does not maintain its flatness. Therefore, we cannot apply the traditional theory of elasticity for the analysis. In this paper, we propose a new estimation method by analyzing the swelling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports on a new method for the measurement of sheet fracture toughness. In this method, samples cut in DENT geometry are cyclically loaded. The maximum load for each cycle is incremented after each cycle until the sample fractures. The work in the final cycle is then the work required to fracture the sample. The fracture toughness determined using the new cyclic technique is compared with that determined using the Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) technique, for samples with a wide range of fracture toughness, and it is shown that cyclic technique gives a fracture toughness around 8% lower than the EWF technique. For 3 samples, cyclic fracture toughness values were measured for ligament lengths from 3.3 to 14.0 mm and compared with the EWF fracture toughness in each case. The cyclic fracture toughness was found to be independent of the ligament length, except for very weak samples, and to be 5–10% lower than the EWF fracture toughness. The differences between the EWF and cyclic fracture toughnesses were probably due to the development of damage zones around the crack tips before the fracture. The advantages of the new cyclic technique over the EWF technique are that it requires less sample area as only one ligament length is required, is quicker and can be readily automated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on an experiment to study the impact of aqueous treatment on the strength properties of Whatman filter paper. Information on folding endurance and tensile absorption of the paper; Explanations for the decrease in tensile strength of the paper after aqueous treatment; Discussion on long-term implications of decrease in tensile strength on the basis of different strength decrease scenario.

The long-term effect of gamma irradiation on paper was studied. Three types of paper (pure rag, mixed rag and mechanically prepared woodpulp) were subjected to three treatments: gamma irradiation, accelerated dry aging, and radiation followed by aging. The effects of these treatments on the physical properties of the paper samples were assessed by measuring alterations in mechanical strength as determined by changes in folding endurance and tear resistance when compared to the untreated control samples. It was found that gamma irradiation caused a decrease in the mechanical strength of the papers similar to that resulting from accelerated dry aging. A synergistic effect was found when both irradiation and accelerated aging were performed on the paper samples, demonstrated by an even greater decrease in both fold endurance and tear resistance than that resulting from either gamma irradiation or accelerated dry aging alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulosic nanomaterials are in the focus of academia and industry to realize light-weight biobased materials with remarkable strength. While the effect is well known, the distribution of these nanomaterials are less explored, particularly for paper sheets. Here, we explore the 3D distribution of micro and nanosized cellulosic particles in paper sheets and correlate their extent of fibrillation to the distribution inside the sheets and subsequently to paper properties. To overcome challenges with contrast between the particles and the matrix, we attached probes on the cellulose nano/microparticles, either by covalent attachment of fluorescent dyes or by physical deposition of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles. The increased contrast enabled visualization of the micro and nanosized particles inside the paper matrix using multiphoton microscopy, X-ray microtomography and SEM-EDX. The results indicate that fibrillary fines enrich at pores and fiber-fiber junctions, thereby increasing the relative bonded area between fibers to enhance paper strength while CNF seems to additionally form an inner 3D network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]