Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials
Derived from renewable resources, cellulose based materials are gaining new importance due to their recyclability and biodegradability. Still, one fundamental challenge is their high sensitivity to water. The addition of wet strength agents (WSA) is hence necessary to maintain strength and integrity...
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2369969825000337 |
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| author | Eva Pasquier Jost Ruwoldt |
| author_facet | Eva Pasquier Jost Ruwoldt |
| author_sort | Eva Pasquier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Derived from renewable resources, cellulose based materials are gaining new importance due to their recyclability and biodegradability. Still, one fundamental challenge is their high sensitivity to water. The addition of wet strength agents (WSA) is hence necessary to maintain strength and integrity in humid or wet conditions. In this article, technical lignin was used as WSA in bleached kraft pulp, which was thermopressed to materials with the potential to replace plastics. Cationic starch or a cationic flocculant (PCB 20) was used as a retention aid during the filtration process. The effect of moisture during thermopressing and lignin particle size were also studied. The results showed that elevated moisture during pressing had the biggest impact both on dry and wet strength. Wet strength (tensile test), up to 9 MPa, and wet strength retention, up to 12 %, were obtained when moisture was present during pressing. However, the type of flocculant and the size of the lignin particles also had a limited effect on the strength. Wet strength improvement was most probably due to the plasticization of lignin at high temperatures, which was further aided by water. The cellulose-lignin network was strengthened by the melting of lignin, consolidating the network after cooling. The wet stiffness of the cellulose substrates was also increased from 200 to 938 MPa in the presence of lignin, while the elongation was maintained and no embrittlement was observed. The results in this article might hence pave the way for new developments in molded pulp and cellulose based plastics replacement. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5ab1bacbf1fd432cbea71d41f508bf81 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2369-9698 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts |
| spelling | doaj-art-5ab1bacbf1fd432cbea71d41f508bf812025-08-20T03:39:10ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts2369-96982025-08-0110332533510.1016/j.jobab.2025.05.001Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materialsEva Pasquier0Jost Ruwoldt1RISE PFI AS, Høgskoleringen 6B, Trondheim 7491, NorwayCorresponding author.; RISE PFI AS, Høgskoleringen 6B, Trondheim 7491, NorwayDerived from renewable resources, cellulose based materials are gaining new importance due to their recyclability and biodegradability. Still, one fundamental challenge is their high sensitivity to water. The addition of wet strength agents (WSA) is hence necessary to maintain strength and integrity in humid or wet conditions. In this article, technical lignin was used as WSA in bleached kraft pulp, which was thermopressed to materials with the potential to replace plastics. Cationic starch or a cationic flocculant (PCB 20) was used as a retention aid during the filtration process. The effect of moisture during thermopressing and lignin particle size were also studied. The results showed that elevated moisture during pressing had the biggest impact both on dry and wet strength. Wet strength (tensile test), up to 9 MPa, and wet strength retention, up to 12 %, were obtained when moisture was present during pressing. However, the type of flocculant and the size of the lignin particles also had a limited effect on the strength. Wet strength improvement was most probably due to the plasticization of lignin at high temperatures, which was further aided by water. The cellulose-lignin network was strengthened by the melting of lignin, consolidating the network after cooling. The wet stiffness of the cellulose substrates was also increased from 200 to 938 MPa in the presence of lignin, while the elongation was maintained and no embrittlement was observed. The results in this article might hence pave the way for new developments in molded pulp and cellulose based plastics replacement.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2369969825000337LigninMolded pulpWet strength agentLignin nanoparticlesPaper sizingAdded-lignin thermoformed pulps |
| spellingShingle | Eva Pasquier Jost Ruwoldt Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts Lignin Molded pulp Wet strength agent Lignin nanoparticles Paper sizing Added-lignin thermoformed pulps |
| title | Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials |
| title_full | Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials |
| title_fullStr | Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials |
| title_short | Kraft lignin as wet-strength and wet-stiffness additives for molded pulp materials |
| title_sort | kraft lignin as wet strength and wet stiffness additives for molded pulp materials |
| topic | Lignin Molded pulp Wet strength agent Lignin nanoparticles Paper sizing Added-lignin thermoformed pulps |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2369969825000337 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT evapasquier kraftligninaswetstrengthandwetstiffnessadditivesformoldedpulpmaterials AT jostruwoldt kraftligninaswetstrengthandwetstiffnessadditivesformoldedpulpmaterials |