In collaboration with a leading company in the paper industry, the possibility of modifying the standard formulation of their products by inserting alternative natural fibers within cellulosic matrices was evaluated. The purpose of this research was to improve the eco-sustainability of the process, identifying innovative green solutions that were at the same time economically advantageous.
Starting Situation
All paper products are generally made according to a standard formulation, which involves using cellulose from two types of plants, conifers and broad-leaved trees. Considering the transition from plastic to paper, in recent years paper companies have felt the need to create innovative solutions capable of reproducing the same performance so far guaranteed only by plastic.
The use of additives and/or coating processes represent possible solutions, but they do not always fully meet the environmental sustainability and economic requirements set by companies. For this reason, it was considered essential to analyze new scenarios and select alternative paths.
Our research group then assisted the company in the selection of alternative natural raw materials with excellent potential to replace all or part of the common virgin cellulose and capable of providing special physical, chemical, optical, and mechanical characteristics to the paper.
Strategies Adopted
A range of alternative fibers was reviewed. These raw materials were catalogued according to chemical composition, available volumes, and market price.
Their chemical characterization allowed identifying any chemical pretreatments necessary to ensure the fiber’s suitability for the production line; similarly, quantification of volumes and market prices provided insight into availability and thus applicability on an industrial scale.
A selection of materials was then made, focusing on those most aligned with the company’s needs. The selected fibers were subsequently subject to process feasibility tests, followed by a final characterization of the obtained products.
During the collaboration period, the partner company was constantly and periodically updated on the data collected during experimentation, emphasizing the transparency, clarity, and professionalism of the work carried out.
Results Achieved
The results obtained were summarized, divided into:
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Properties of raw materials, in terms of fiber lengths and thicknesses, flexibility, and elasticity of materials;
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Necessary pretreatments, chemical or mechanical, characterized by different degrees of eco-sustainability;
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Properties of the pastes, obtained by adding the aforementioned materials;
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Physical, optical, and mechanical resistance properties of the finished products.
These results were then compared to standard reference values, providing the company with a clear overview of the consequences and impact of the new materials on the products.
Additional properties acquired by the final products as a result of the use of alternative materials were also highlighted.
Conclusions
In recent years, the company has felt the need to experiment and evaluate innovative solutions to smartly improve production lines and sustainability of production processes. Through our consultancy, the company verified the feasibility of these projects to gain a comprehensive understanding of the technological and structural consequences before implementing improvement interventions.
