Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives
Tissue paper production frequently combines two main types of raw materials: cellulose fibers from renewable sources and polymer-based additives. The development of premium products with improved properties and functionalities depends on the optimization of both. This work focused on the combination...
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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Series: | Polymers |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/22/3982 |
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author | Flávia P. Morais Ana M. M. S. Carta Maria E. Amaral Joana M. R. Curto |
author_facet | Flávia P. Morais Ana M. M. S. Carta Maria E. Amaral Joana M. R. Curto |
author_sort | Flávia P. Morais |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Tissue paper production frequently combines two main types of raw materials: cellulose fibers from renewable sources and polymer-based additives. The development of premium products with improved properties and functionalities depends on the optimization of both. This work focused on the combination of innovative experimental and computational strategies to optimize furnish. The main goal was to improve the functional properties of the most suitable raw materials for tissue materials and develop new differentiating products with innovative features. The experimental plan included as inputs different fiber mixtures, micro/nano fibrillated cellulose, and biopolymer additives, and enzymatic and mechanical process operations. We present an innovative tissue paper simulator, the <i>SimTissue</i>, that we have developed, to establish the correlations between the tissue paper process inputs and the end-use paper properties. Case studies with industrial interest are presented in which the tissue simulator was used to design tissue paper materials with different fiber mixtures, fiber modification treatments, micro/nano fibrillated cellulose, and biopolymer formulations, and to estimate tissue softness, strength, and absorption properties. The <i>SimTissue</i> was able to predict and optimize a broader range of formulations containing micro/nanocellulose fibers, biopolymer additives, and treated-fiber mixtures, saving laboratory and industrial resources. |
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institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2073-4360 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:07:20Z |
publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Polymers |
spelling | doaj.art-bfd1fff602424f46bf7a926d9b13ddd62023-11-23T01:09:53ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602021-11-011322398210.3390/polym13223982Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based AdditivesFlávia P. Morais0Ana M. M. S. Carta1Maria E. Amaral2Joana M. R. Curto3Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies Research Unit (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalForest and Paper Research Institute (RAIZ), R. José Estevão, Eixo, 3800-783 Aveiro, PortugalFiber Materials and Environmental Technologies Research Unit (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalFiber Materials and Environmental Technologies Research Unit (FibEnTech-UBI), Universidade da Beira Interior, R. Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, PortugalTissue paper production frequently combines two main types of raw materials: cellulose fibers from renewable sources and polymer-based additives. The development of premium products with improved properties and functionalities depends on the optimization of both. This work focused on the combination of innovative experimental and computational strategies to optimize furnish. The main goal was to improve the functional properties of the most suitable raw materials for tissue materials and develop new differentiating products with innovative features. The experimental plan included as inputs different fiber mixtures, micro/nano fibrillated cellulose, and biopolymer additives, and enzymatic and mechanical process operations. We present an innovative tissue paper simulator, the <i>SimTissue</i>, that we have developed, to establish the correlations between the tissue paper process inputs and the end-use paper properties. Case studies with industrial interest are presented in which the tissue simulator was used to design tissue paper materials with different fiber mixtures, fiber modification treatments, micro/nano fibrillated cellulose, and biopolymer formulations, and to estimate tissue softness, strength, and absorption properties. The <i>SimTissue</i> was able to predict and optimize a broader range of formulations containing micro/nanocellulose fibers, biopolymer additives, and treated-fiber mixtures, saving laboratory and industrial resources.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/22/3982absorptioncellulose fiberscomputational simulationfurnish optimizationmodelingpolymeric additives |
spellingShingle | Flávia P. Morais Ana M. M. S. Carta Maria E. Amaral Joana M. R. Curto Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives Polymers absorption cellulose fibers computational simulation furnish optimization modeling polymeric additives |
title | Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives |
title_full | Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives |
title_fullStr | Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives |
title_full_unstemmed | Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives |
title_short | Computational Simulation Tools to Support the Tissue Paper Furnish Management: Case Studies for the Optimization of Micro/Nano Cellulose Fibers and Polymer-Based Additives |
title_sort | computational simulation tools to support the tissue paper furnish management case studies for the optimization of micro nano cellulose fibers and polymer based additives |
topic | absorption cellulose fibers computational simulation furnish optimization modeling polymeric additives |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/22/3982 |
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