Review of Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC) for Papermaking

Yong (Peter) Zou and Jeffery Hsieh

Pulp and Paper Engineering

School of Chemical and Biomolecular Eng.Georgia Institute of Technology

Microfibrillated cellulose (nanofiber)

Definition: Microfibrillated cellulose is isolated and purified cellulose fibres recovered from original cellulose filamentous structure, as cellulose fibres consist of nanometre-scale microfibrils (4 nm wide, 100–200 nm long).

Nano: Sizes / dimensions in the 1-1000 nanometer (billonth, nm)(10-9 m) range

The structure of wood cell and cellulose microfibril

P is the primary wall, S1, S2 and S3 are outer, middle and inner layer of the secondary wall, respectively [ from Iwamoto etal. Appl.Phys. A.81.1109-1112 (2005)

Produce process

Conventionally-mechanical Pulp fiber- original material, refining, high pressure homogenizing

and grinding.

Bioprocess- Enzymatic Reinforcement Process

Pulp Refining Enzyme Homogenizing

GrindingNano-structured Cellulose (NSC)

Characterization

Indirect-characterization products from macroscopic level –induce;

Direct-Modern analysis tools-microscopic level

AFM (atomic force microscopy)

SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope)

TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope)

AFM

SEM

TEM

Paper Industry’s Applications

Papermaking- Improving the strength of paper products including tensile strength, burst strength, tear, density, smoothness and also an effect of increasing the air permeability are obtained. In addition, the capacity of retaining the filler and the adsorption of a dye are also improved by the Nanofiber.

Paper coating- improving printability, decreasing viscosity of the coating material

Comments

Renewable resource Bioprocess-enzyme Lack of experimental data-need more work Extend to non-wood material Add pretreatment to improve efficiency Modify microfibrillated cellulose-(hydrophilic to

hydrophobical nature)