A PFI mill can be used to predict biomechanical pulp strength properties

Abstract

Recently, we showed that a biomechanical pulping process in which aspen chips are pretreated with a white-rot fungus can give energy savings and can increase paper sheet strength. To optimize this process, we need more efficient ways to evaluate the fungal treatments. Here, we examine a method that consists of treating coarse refiner mechanical pulp, refining in a PFI mill, and testing for freeness. The relative ability of a fungus to promote a decrease in pulp freeness in the PFI mill did not correlate with its ability to give energy savings in chip refining. However, it correlated with the ability to increase the strength properties of handsheets produced from the chips. We discuss (a) why the PFI mill method successfully predicts strength properties rather than energy savings, (b) the limitations of the method, and (c) the implications of these results for developing a method to predict energy savings.

Citation

Leatham, Gary F.; Myers, Gary C. 1990. A PFI mill can be used to predict biomechanical pulp strength properties. Tappi journal. (Apr. 1990): pages 192-197.