SE1950982A1 - Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product - Google Patents
Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product Download PDFInfo
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- SE1950982A1 SE1950982A1 SE1950982A SE1950982A SE1950982A1 SE 1950982 A1 SE1950982 A1 SE 1950982A1 SE 1950982 A SE1950982 A SE 1950982A SE 1950982 A SE1950982 A SE 1950982A SE 1950982 A1 SE1950982 A1 SE 1950982A1
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- Prior art keywords
- pulp
- cellulose
- layer
- previous
- metal salt
- Prior art date
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 50
- 229920003043 Cellulose fiber Polymers 0.000 title claims abstract description 32
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 title claims description 44
- 229920002678 cellulose Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 239000001913 cellulose Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 28
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 28
- 239000002657 fibrous material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 claims abstract description 23
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 239000000976 ink Substances 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims description 16
- 229920001131 Pulp (paper) Polymers 0.000 claims description 13
- 102100031260 Acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase THEM4 Human genes 0.000 claims description 11
- 101000638510 Homo sapiens Acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase THEM4 Proteins 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000011105 molded pulp Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 241000218657 Picea Species 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000003086 colorant Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 241000609240 Ambelania acida Species 0.000 claims description 6
- 235000017166 Bambusa arundinacea Nutrition 0.000 claims description 6
- 235000017491 Bambusa tulda Nutrition 0.000 claims description 6
- 241001330002 Bambuseae Species 0.000 claims description 6
- 235000015334 Phyllostachys viridis Nutrition 0.000 claims description 6
- 125000000129 anionic group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000010905 bagasse Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000011425 bamboo Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000123 paper Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000049 pigment Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 229920006317 cationic polymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 5
- -1 salt ion Chemical class 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000010902 straw Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920000875 Dissolving pulp Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- TWRXJAOTZQYOKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L Magnesium chloride Chemical compound [Mg+2].[Cl-].[Cl-] TWRXJAOTZQYOKJ-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- VSCWAEJMTAWNJL-UHFFFAOYSA-K aluminium trichloride Chemical compound Cl[Al](Cl)Cl VSCWAEJMTAWNJL-UHFFFAOYSA-K 0.000 claims description 4
- 125000002091 cationic group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000945 filler Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000002655 kraft paper Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-L Sulfate Chemical compound [O-]S([O-])(=O)=O QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000007650 screen-printing Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- LSNNMFCWUKXFEE-UHFFFAOYSA-L sulfite Chemical compound [O-]S([O-])=O LSNNMFCWUKXFEE-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910021653 sulphate ion Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- UXVMQQNJUSDDNG-UHFFFAOYSA-L Calcium chloride Chemical compound [Cl-].[Cl-].[Ca+2] UXVMQQNJUSDDNG-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000004971 Cross linker Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000004372 Polyvinyl alcohol Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- VSGNNIFQASZAOI-UHFFFAOYSA-L calcium acetate Chemical compound [Ca+2].CC([O-])=O.CC([O-])=O VSGNNIFQASZAOI-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000001110 calcium chloride Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910001628 calcium chloride Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 235000011148 calcium chloride Nutrition 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000001041 dye based ink Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229920000831 ionic polymer Polymers 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910001629 magnesium chloride Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002105 nanoparticle Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 235000019422 polyvinyl alcohol Nutrition 0.000 claims description 2
- 229920002451 polyvinyl alcohol Polymers 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 26
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 17
- 238000007639 printing Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 5
- 244000166124 Eucalyptus globulus Species 0.000 description 4
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000002086 nanomaterial Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 3
- 241000196324 Embryophyta Species 0.000 description 2
- 229920001046 Nanocellulose Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229920002522 Wood fibre Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000000740 bleeding effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010017 direct printing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004519 grease Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000007654 immersion Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000005022 packaging material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000002203 pretreatment Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000007670 refining Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002356 single layer Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000007480 spreading Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003892 spreading Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000003746 surface roughness Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002025 wood fiber Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010146 3D printing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 241000969130 Atthis Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000004438 BET method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920002488 Hemicellulose Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002201 Oxidized cellulose Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 235000008331 Pinus X rigitaeda Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000011613 Pinus brutia Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 241000018646 Pinus brutia Species 0.000 description 1
- 244000258044 Solanum gilo Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000209140 Triticum Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000021307 Triticum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000996 additive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 125000003178 carboxy group Chemical group [H]OC(*)=O 0.000 description 1
- 125000002057 carboxymethyl group Chemical group [H]OC(=O)C([H])([H])[*] 0.000 description 1
- 206010061592 cardiac fibrillation Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000748 compression moulding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920006037 cross link polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000005034 decoration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004069 differentiation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000006185 dispersion Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002600 fibrillogenic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 125000002485 formyl group Chemical class [H]C(*)=O 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003906 humectant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007641 inkjet printing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010030 laminating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920005610 lignin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000314 lubricant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 description 1
- GDOPTJXRTPNYNR-UHFFFAOYSA-N methyl-cyclopentane Natural products CC1CCCC1 GDOPTJXRTPNYNR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 210000001724 microfibril Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 108700005457 microfibrillar Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002159 nanocrystal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003647 oxidation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007254 oxidation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229940107304 oxidized cellulose Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 125000001453 quaternary ammonium group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 239000002994 raw material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011122 softwood Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002344 surface layer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002604 ultrasonography Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002966 varnish Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
- D21J—FIBREBOARD; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM CELLULOSIC FIBROUS SUSPENSIONS OR FROM PAPIER-MACHE
- D21J3/00—Manufacture of articles by pressing wet fibre pulp, or papier-mâché, between moulds
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D65/00—Wrappers or flexible covers; Packaging materials of special type or form
- B65D65/38—Packaging materials of special type or form
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
- D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D21H11/00—Pulp or paper, comprising cellulose or lignocellulose fibres of natural origin only
- D21H11/16—Pulp or paper, comprising cellulose or lignocellulose fibres of natural origin only modified by a particular after-treatment
- D21H11/18—Highly hydrated, swollen or fibrillatable fibres
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
- D21H—PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D21H17/00—Non-fibrous material added to the pulp, characterised by its constitution; Paper-impregnating material characterised by its constitution
- D21H17/63—Inorganic compounds
- D21H17/66—Salts, e.g. alums
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
- D21J—FIBREBOARD; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM CELLULOSIC FIBROUS SUSPENSIONS OR FROM PAPIER-MACHE
- D21J5/00—Manufacture of hollow articles by transferring sheets, produced from fibres suspensions or papier-mâché by suction on wire-net moulds, to couch-moulds
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
- D21J—FIBREBOARD; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM CELLULOSIC FIBROUS SUSPENSIONS OR FROM PAPIER-MACHE
- D21J7/00—Manufacture of hollow articles from fibre suspensions or papier-mâché by deposition of fibres in or on a wire-net mould
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Paper (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
- Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)
Abstract
The invention discloses a method for producing a three dimensional molded structure from cellulose fibers, comprising the steps of:-providing a cellulose fiber material comprising cellulose pulp, said material having a solid content between 0.1-95%;-providing a forming tool having a three dimensional shape including a forming surface, and bringing said forming surface into contact with the cellulose fiber material;-press drying the cellulose fiber material contacted by the forming tool at temperatures > 20°C to a dry content of at least 70%, preferably at least 80%; and-removing said dried layer from the forming tool to achieve the three dimensional molded product,wherein said method also comprises the step of applying aqueous metal salt spray such that at least one outer surface of the achieved three dimensional molded product comprises at least one metal salt ion originating from said applied metal salt spray.
Description
METHOD OF PRODUCING AN IMPRINTABLE CELLULOSE FIBERPRODUCT AND A FIBER PRODUCT Technical fieldThe present invention relates to a method of producing athree dimensional cellulose fiber based structure by means of fiber molding.
BackgroundThere is a growing interest for producing cellulose based, three dimensional (3D) products, e.g. for use as packagingapplications for foodstuff, tableware, trays, technical products,electronic equipment and/or consumer goods. Several advantagesare associated with the use of natural fibers (such as cellulosefibers) for manufacturing packages. Being a renewable resource,natural fibers provide a sustainable alternative to other packagingmaterials such as aluminum and plastics, and furthermore naturalfibers are both recyclable and biodegradable. Natural fibers includecellulose fibers of any natural origin, such as derived from woodpulp and/or plants.
There is also a demand in packaging industry of increasingcolor, product differentiation, and novelty in addition topersonalized prints, and to provide eye catching shapes. In additionto such aesthetic considerations an element of physical protection isalso required for the goods in question.
Molding of cellulose fiber materials provides a way ofachieving renewable articles with various three dimensional shapes,which may be used to differentiate products available for sale in a given marketplace. 2 Manufacturing molded fiber products can be done by wetforming, wherein a forming tool is dipped into an aqueous pulpcomposition followed by compression-molding performed underheat, resulting in a dried fiber product having a shapecomplementary to the shape of the mold. Typically, said tool isperforated or porous so that water can be removed from thesuspension or wet pulp during forming during a dewatering/dryingstep. The forming tool is selected in order to control the surfaceroughness. In case of an egg box, for example, the outer surfacecan be made smooth in order to enable printed label to adhere.Preparation of a smoother surface often leads to that the reverseside is coarse. Thus, if making a smooth inner side, the outersurface will be coarse which makes direct printing difficult,especially printing of four colors (CMYK color model). Also, aproblem associated with various forming techniques is roughnessvariations of the molded product which causes problems withuneven print quality.
It is also possible to dry mold products such as trays from acellulose fiber sheet or web. Dry molding can be done in variousways, e.g. by press-forming a wetted sheet combined with appliedheat using a forming tool. However, dry forming has disadvantagesassociated with poor flexibility and elasticity of the cellulose sheetor web material, limiting the 3D-formability and/or leading to therisk of cracks appearing in the material upon forming.
In US2013248130, a compression-molded tray of fibermaterial coated with a removable film is described, andWO200605761O also presents a method and a machine for makingfiber products such as food trays by means of fiber molding from a stock of pulp. 3 In addition to designing the shape of a product, it is desirableto also add colorful decorations and adornments as well asinformative content onto its surface. For example, it is common toadd a label and/or etiquette onto paper based containers andpackages as an information carrier. However, labels/etiquettesrequire additional production step and also consumes extra materialin the form of label components. Direct printing is also done butmostly with one color and mainly for coding or simple color printing,e.g. egg boxes.
Application of ink onto the surface of a molded article oftenleads to problems with dot resolution and that the spreading andabsorption of ink color is hard to regulate, which cause bleedingand wicking. Surface roughness and use of higher fiber content leadto reduced print density and hence greater use of colorants toattain a certain density level. Hence, there is a need forimprovements when it comes to printability of molded pulp products.
Obiects of the invention It is an object of the present invention, to provide a methodfor manufacturing a fiber based, three dimensional molded articlecomprising a surface with enhanced printability. It is also an objectof the present invention to provide a three dimensional moldedarticle which is based on cellulose fibers, and which comprises asurface with enhanced printability properties. By "enhancedprintability" means that printing a pattern onto said surface can bedone substantially without bleeding, wicking and with a highresolution and especially for 4-color (or more) prints. Low ink spreading and adjustable ink absorption is desirable for controlling 4 both print quality but also print durability and associated problems such as ink smearing, print thru, rub-off or hidden rub-off.
SummaryThe objects of the invention are at least partially obtained by means of a method for producing a three dimensional moldedstructure from cellulose fibers according to claim 1. Said methodcomprises at least the steps of: -providing a cellulose fiber material comprising cellulose pulp,said material having a solid content between O.1-95°/0; -providing a forming tool having a three dimensional shapeincluding a forming surface, and bringing said forming surface intocontact with the cellulose fiber material; -press drying the cellulose fiber material contacted by theforming tool at temperatures >20°C to a dry content of at least70%, preferably at least 80%; and -removing said dried layer from the forming tool to achievethe three dimensional molded product, wherein the method also comprises the step of applyingaqueous metal salt spray such that at least one outer surface of theachieved three dimensional molded product comprises at least one metal salt ion originating from said applied metal salt spray.
It has surprisingly been found that the printability of a threedimensional molded, fiber based product is significantly improvedby means of a method and a product according to the invention.Application of a metal salt onto the surface of the three dimensionalmolded product provides a surface with enhanced printability forinks, especially those with pigment colorants. The technology is suitable for inkjet but can also be applied for flexographic or screen printing. Thanks to the invention, several advantages are achieved.In addition to enhanced printability of the molded product, the useof expensive chemicals is avoided or at least reduced, especiallyfossil based ones. Furthermore, printing of primers or complexsurface treatment processes are not needed. Thus, the solutiondoes not only improve feathering and bleeding but also printdensity and ink adhesion. Thanks to the invention, threedimensional molded pulp products can be decorated with morevariable colored prints using multiple colors without the risk ofinferior print quality, and even 3D effects can be accomplished bymeans of printing thanks to the enhanced printability of thesubstrate (i.e. the molded pulp product).
|II The term "cellulose fiber materia referred to herein is to beinterpreted as a material comprising natural cellulose-based fibers,including aqueous pulp compositions and/or fiber based sheet orweb materials. Any cellulosic fibers known in the art, includingcellulose fibers if any natural origin, such as those derived fromvegetable pulp or agricultural-based pulp, can be used in thecellulose fiber material. Non-limiting examples of cellulosic fiberssuitable for use in this invention are cellulose fibers derived fromsoftwoods such as pines, firs and spruces, as well as fibers derivedfrom eucalyptus, bagasse, bamboo and other ligneous and cellulose SOU FCeS.
The present invention relates to fiber molding of a 3Dproduct. Such fiber molding may be performed using wet forming ordry forming as explained in the Background section of the present application. The present invention relates to products that have 6 been obtained by means of wet molding procedure or dry molding procedure.
According to one aspect of the invention, said product isachieved by means of a wet molding procedure. According to thisaspect, the cellulose fiber material is an aqueous composition orslurry having a consistency between 0.O5-1Owt°/0, preferably 0.2-1.5wt°/0. Said forming tool is brought into contact with said slurrye.g. by immersion so that said forming surface of the forming toolis covered with a wet layer of pulp from said aqueous composition,whereafter the layer of pulp present on said forming tool is press-dried and dewatered. Preferably, the wet layer of pulp is 5-150 gsmin dry weight. According to another aspect of the invention, pressdrying of the wet layer is performed at temperatures >100°C,preferably at temperatures between 120-250°C or more preferablybetween 150-220°C. Said press drying can be applied in one orseveral steps depending on the end structure. Also, press dryingcan be done by two complementary forming tools laminating andcompressing the cellulose fiber to be dried.
The forming tool can be brought into contact with the saidaqueous pulp composition by means of immersion into thecomposition, whereupon cellulose fibers are drawn onto the formingportion for instance by means of vacuum suction. Next, the layer ofpulp present on said forming portion is dried and/or dewatered to adry content of at least 70%. Drying can be accomplished with orwithout heating, pressing or any other mechanical support thatimproves dewatering and formation. Combination of elevatedtemperatures and pressure is a conceivable procedure. Said"elevated temperature" is here to be interpreted as temperatures >100°C. The dried layer is removed from the forming tool to 7 achieve a single layer three dimensional molded structure withenhanced printability. Furthermore, the layer of pulp present onsaid forming portion may be press dried with a pressure between0.2-50 bar, preferably O.5-15 bar, more preferably 1-10 bar. Incase of drying the wet pulp present on said forming portion bymeans of applying elevated temperatures, such temperatures ispreferably between 100-350°C, preferably 120-250°C, morepreferably between 150-220°C.
According to one aspect of the invention, said product isachieved by means of a dry molding procedure. According to thisaspect, the cellulose fiber material is a fiber based sheet material having a solid content of 3O-95wt°/0.
According to the invention, a metal salt in aqueous form isapplied onto one surface of the molded product, preferably sprayedonto a surface thereof. It is to be understood that "spray" means inthe form of a plurality of liquid droplets or particles, and that themetal salt in spray form may be delivered by means of a precisiondevice for dispersion of freely flowing dissolved metal salt into saidspray form. The droplets or particles may be in micro scale withsizes ranging from 1-900 um in diameter. It is conceivable to have a multi-layer spray or single spray arrangement.
According to another aspect, said metal salt is one of CaCl2,Ca(OAc)2, MgCl2 or AlCl3, or mixtures thereof. According to anotheraspect, the metal salt is added in combination with one or more ofthe following additives: a cationic polymer, humectants,nanopigments and/or cross-linked polymers. A possible ratio between metal salt vs additive is 1:1OO - 100:1.
According to another aspect of the invention, said metal saltspray comprises functional chemicals such as non-stick chemicals (e.g. lubricants) and colorants.
According to another aspect of the present invention, saidspray also comprises one or more additional functional chemicalsselected from the group comprising cationic polymers, nanopigments, amphoteric polymers and anonionic polymers.
According to another aspect of the invention, the methodfurther comprises imprinting a pattern onto said three dimensionalmolded product using a water based ink or a solvent based ink. It isalso conceivable to use an ink that comprises both solvent andwater. The ink can also be a varnish or a combination of ink andvarnish. Ink can comprises one colorant or both dye and pigment,said pigments often being anionic. Preferably, said imprinting isperformed by any one of inkjet, flexographic or screen printing.Preferably, the imprinting is performed using any one of pigmentbased colorant ink, anionic dye based ink or hybrid ink.Furthermore, the imprinting is performed in-line in a molding line or at a line.
According to another aspect of the present invention, saidcellulose fiber material comprises a cellulose nanomaterial such asmicrofibrillated cellulose (MFC). The use of cellulose nanomaterialenhances the retention of metal salts in the material, and it alsoimproves the strength of the end structure. According to one aspect, said cellulose nanomaterial is anionic MFC, or native MFC. 9 |II The term ""cellulose nanomateria referred to herein is to beinterpreted as materials comprising cellulose and encompassesmicrofibrillated cellulose (MFC) as well as cellulose nanocrystals(nanocrystalline cellulose) and mixtures thereof. This means thatone dimension (diameter) of the fibers is within the scale of 1-1000nm (mean average fiber or fibril diameter). Microfibrillated cellulose(MFC) or so called cellulose microfibrils (CMF) shall in the context ofthe present invention mean a micro-scale cellulose particle fiber orfibril with at least one average or mean dimension less than 1000nm. MFC comprises partly or totally fibrillated cellulose orlignocellulose fibers. The cellulose fiber is preferably fibrillated tosuch an extent that the final specific surface area of the formedMFC is from about 1 to about 500 m2/g, such as from 10 to 400m2/g or more preferably 50-300 m2/g when determined for asolvent exchanged and freeze-dried material with the BET method.Various methods exist to make MFC, such as single or multiple pass refining, pre-treatment followed by refining, or highshear disintegration or liberation of fibrils. One or several pre-treatment steps are usually required in order to make MFCmanufacturing both energy-efficient and sustainable. The cellulosefibers of the pulp to be supplied may thus be pre-treatedenzymatically or chemically, for example to reduce the quantity ofhemicellulose or lignin. The cellulose fibers may be chemicallymodified before fibrillation, wherein the cellulose molecules containfunctional groups other (or more) than found in the originalcellulose. Such groups include, among others, carboxymethyl,aldehyde and/or carboxyl groups (cellulose obtained by N-oxylmediated oxidation, for example "TEMPO"), quaternary ammonium(cationic cellulose). The cellulose may also be methylated or phosphorylated. After being modified or oxidized in one of the above-described methods, it is easier to disintegrate the fibers intoMFC.
The microfibrillar cellulose may contain some hemicelluloses;the amount is dependent on the plant source. Mechanicaldisintegration of the pre-treated fibers, e.g. hydrolysed, pre-swelled, or oxidized cellulose raw material is carried out withsuitable equipment such as a refiner, grinder, homogenizer,colloider, friction grinder, ultrasound sonicator, single - or twin-screw extruder, fluidizer such as microfluidizer, macrofluidizer orfluidizer-type homogenizer. Depending on the MFC manufacturingmethod, the structure might also contain fines, or nanocrystallinecellulose or e.g. other chemicals present in wood fibers or otherlignocellulosic fibers used in papermaking processes. The structuremight also contain various amounts of micron size fiber particlesthat have not been efficiently fibrillated. The amount of these fiberparticles can be determined e.g. in fiber analysator which is knownfor a skilled person in the art.
MFC can be produced from wood cellulose fibers, both fromhardwood or softwood fibers. It can also be made from microbialsources, agricultural fibers such as wheat straw pulp, bamboo,bagasse, or other non-wood fiber sources. It is preferably madefrom pulp including pulp from virgin fiber, e.g. mechanical, chemicaland/or thermomechanical pulps. It can also be made from broke or recycled paper.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention, said pulp isselected from the group comprising wood pulps, non-wood pulps,unbleached chemical pulp, defibrated fiber material, bagasse,straws, bamboo, spruce CTMP, eucalyptus CTMP, spruce HT CTMP,kraft pulp, sulphate, sulphite, PGW, GW, DIP, recycled paper and 11 board, coated and uncoated broke, RMP, TMP, CMP, CSP NSSCnanopulp, dissolving pulp, and regenerated fibers and mixturesthereof. It is understood that other cellulosic material such aschemical or semi-chemical pulp of wood or non-wood material canbe added as part of the pulp stock. Preferably, said pulp is a pulpfiber or fiber mixture with a Schopper Riegler value above 50 measured according to the SR standard.
According to another aspect, said cellulose fiber material alsocomprises one or more additional functional chemicals selectedfrom the group comprising cationic polymers, nanopigments,amphoteric polymers and anonionic polymers. The metal salt incombination with specific cationic polymers enhance ink rubresistance and water fastness. Water fastness refers to thesensitivity of the color adhesion (once imprinted onto the surface of a material) to humidity.
According to another aspect, said cellulose fiber materialfurther comprises one or more co-additives selected from the groupcomprising nanoparticles, cationic mordants, cross-linkers, non-ionic polymers such as PVOH, PEG, cationic fillers, pigments or fillers with high surface area, preferably >10 g/m2.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, thegrammage of the molded product is preferably 5-450 gsm or more preferably 10-200 gsm.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, said moldedproduct comprises a density between 350-1500 kg/m3, preferably400-1200 kg/m3 or most preferably 500-900 kg/m3. 12 The present invention further also relates to a three-dimensional molded pulp product manufactured by means of a method according to the invention.
The present invention further also relates to a three-dimensional molded pulp product comprising more than one layer,whereof at least one layer is a molded structure according to claim1 constituting an imprinting layer made from a mixture aspreviously described, further where said imprinting layer isarranged as an outer layer of said multilayer product. According toa preferred aspect, the three dimensional molded fiber/pulp productis a packaging product and comprises a first, outer side intended forbeing decorated with an imprinted pattern, and a second inner sideintended to provide a barrier against grease, oil, gas, water etc.Said outer side is thus arranged to comprise metal salt ions forenhancing printability, whereas the inner side may comprise abarrier layer, e.g. moisture barrier or grease barrier. This means,according to this aspect only one side of the product is treated with metal salt spray.
Description of Embodiments The present description is directed to production of threedimensional molded pulp articles with enhanced printability.Examples of a three dimensional molded pulp article include in anon-limiting way containers, trays and packages. Thus, theproducts made by means of the method of the present invention may be referred to as packages and/or packaging material.
Although the present description relates to the context of conventional wet forming procedures and dry forming procedures, 13 the invention is not limited thereto. The skilled person appreciatesthat the invention may contemplate any fiber-based manufacturing method, including 3D printing techniques.
According to the invention, presence of metal salt in a surfacelayer of a molded article leads to improved surface printability e.g. when using inkjet printing technology.
It is thus within the ambit of the present invention to providea 3D molded product comprising at least one outer surface or aportion of an outer surface which has been subjected to applicationof an aqueous metal salt, e.g. in spray form, onto at least onesurface intended for subsequent imprinting. Production of suchmolded article may be done by wet molding methods or dry molding methods.
In the following, an example of a wet molding method formanufacturing a three dimensional molded article withimproved/enhanced printability will be described in a non-limiting way.
An aqueous pulp suspension (also referred to as"composition") is provided with the consistency of O.O5-1Owt°/0. Thepulp may be any one of wood pulps, non-wood pulps, unbleachedchemical pulp, defibrated fiber material, bagasse, straws, bamboo,spruce CTMP, eucalyptus CTMP, spruce HT CTMP, kraft pulp,sulphate, sulphite, PGW, GW, DIP, recycled paper and board, broke,RMP, TMP, CMP, CSP NSSC nanopulp, dissolving pulp, andregenerated fibers or mixtures thereof. A cellulose nanomaterial such as e.g. microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) may be added to the 14 pulp suspension. Said MFC is preferably anionic MFC, or native MFC,or a grafted version thereof. A 3D shaped forming tool comprisinga forming portion is brought into contact with the pulp suspension,for instance by immersing said tool into the slurry bath. Saidforming portion is arranged to represent a 3D mirror image of thearticle to be formed. Pulp is drawn onto the forming portion e.g. bymeans of vacuum suction until a layer of desired thickness has beenformed, whereupon the forming tool is removed from the slurry. Atthis stage, the forming portion is covered with a wet layer of pulp,said wet layer comprising between 5-150 gsm in dry weight. Next,the wet layer of pulp is dewatered to a dry content of at least7Owt°/0. Dewatering and/or drying can be done in various ways. Ina wet curing procedure, the wet layer is pressed under elevatedtemperatures to be compressed and dried to a certain thickness,thereby yielding a smooth external surface for the end structure. Ina dry curing process, the wet layer is subjected to heated airthereby removing moisture, which results in an end structure with amore textured finish. This way, a single layer molded fiber productis formed.
Manufacturing multilayered molded fiber products can beaccomplished for instance by applying more than one fibrous layerson top of each other in consecutive molding production steps. Forinstance, a layer of metal salt-containing pulp can be molded onto apre-molded pulp layer already present on the forming tool. Thevarious layers of a multilayered product may hereby providedifferent functions, such as rigidity, barrier properties, etc. In amultilayered product, the imprint-enhancing layer is to form theprinting surface, or an outer layer. According to the invention, thehot press temperature range for a wet molded procedure is around 150-220 degrees C, with a press range around 1-10 bar.
Once the 3D shaped molded product has been dried, anaqueous metal salt spray is applied such that at least one outersurface of the achieved three dimensional molded product is covered with metal salt ions originating from said applied metal salt spray.
In the following, an example of a dry molding method formanufacturing a three dimensional molded article withimproved/enhanced printability will be described in a non-limitingway.
In dry molding procedure, said cellulose fiber material is afiber based sheet material having a solid content of 3O-95wt°/0.Preferably, the fiber based sheet is made from pulp selected fromthe group comprising wood pulps, non-wood pulps, unbleachedchemical pulp, defibrated fiber material, bagasse, straws, bamboo,spruce CTMP, eucalyptus CTMP, spruce HT CTMP, kraft pulp,recycled paper and board, broke, nanopulp, dissolving pulp, and regenerated fibers and mixtures thereof.
The present invention has been described with regard topreferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to a personskilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications canbe made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.
Claims (20)
1. 1. A method for producing a three dimensional moldedproduct from cellulose fibers, comprising the steps of: -providing a cellulose fiber material comprising cellulose pulp,said material having a solid content between O.1-95°/0; -providing a forming tool having a three dimensional shapeincluding a forming surface, and bringing said forming surface intocontact with the cellulose fiber material; -press drying the cellulose fiber material contacted by theforming tool at temperatures >20°C to a dry content of at least70%, preferably at least 80%; and -removing said dried layer from the forming tool to achievethe three dimensional molded product, characterized in that said method also comprises the stepof applying aqueous metal salt spray such that at least one outersurface of the achieved three dimensional molded productcomprises at least one metal salt ion originating from said applied metal salt spray.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cellulose fibermaterial is an aqueous composition having a consistency betweenO.O5-1Owt°/0, preferably O.2-1.5wt°/0, and wherein said forming toolis brought into contact with said aqueous composition so that saidforming surface of said forming tool is covered with a wet layer ofpulp from said aqueous composition, whereafter the layer of pulp present on said forming tool is press-dried and dewatered. 17
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the layer of pulp present on said forming tool is dewatered by means of press- drying.
4. A method according to any one of claims 2-3, wherein the wet layer of pulp is 5-150 gsm in dry weight.
5. A method according to any one of claims 2 - 4, whereinpress drying is performed at temperatures >100°C, preferably attemperatures between 120-250°C or more preferably between 150-220°C.
6. A method according to any one of claims 1 - 5, whereincellulose fiber material is a fiber based sheet material having a solidcontent of 3O-95wt°/0.
7. A method according to any one of the previous claims,further comprising imprinting a pattern onto said three dimensional molded product using a water based ink.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said imprinting is performed by any one of inkjet, flexographic or screen printing.
9. A method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the imprintingis performed using any one of pigment based colorant ink, anionic dye based ink or hybrid ink.
10. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein said cellulose fiber material comprises microfibrillatedcellulose (MFC). 18
11. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein said cellulose pulp is selected from the group comprising:wood pulps, non-wood pulps, unbleached chemical pulp, defibratedfiber material, bagasse, straws, bamboo, spruce CTMP, eucalyptusCTMP, spruce HT CTMP, kraft pulp, sulphate, sulphite, PGW, GW,DIP, recycled paper and board, broke, RMP, TMP, CMP, CSP NSSCnanopulp, dissolving pulp, and regenerated fibers and mixtures thereof
12. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein said metal salt is selected from the group comprising:CaCl2, Ca(OAc)2, MgCl2 or AlCl3, or mixtures thereof.
13. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein the dose of metal salt is 1-50 kg/tn or more preferably 5-35 kg/tn.
14. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein said spray also comprises one or more additional functionalchemicals selected from the group comprising cationic polymers, nanopigments, amphoteric polymers and anonionic polymers.
15. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein said cellulose fiber material also comprises one or more co-additives selected from the group comprising nanoparticles, cationicmordants, cross-linkers, non-ionic polymers such as PVOH, PEG,cationic fillers, pigments or fillers with high surface area preferably with a surface area >1O g/m2. 19
16. A method according to any one of claims 10-15, wherein said MFC is preferably anionic MFC, or native MFC.
17. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein the grammage of the molded product is preferably 5-450 gsm or more preferably 10-200 gsm.
18. A method according to any one of the previous claims,wherein said molded product comprises a density between 350-1500 kg/m3, preferably 400-1200 kg/m3 or most preferably 500-900 kg/m3.
19. A three-dimensional molded pulp structure made by means of a method according to any one of claims 1 - 18.
20. A three-dimensional molded pulp structure comprisingmore than one layer, whereof at least one layer is an imprintinglayer obtained by means of a method according to any one ofclaims 1 - 18, further where said imprinting layer is arranged as an outer layer of said multilayer structure.
Priority Applications (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE1950982A SE544591C2 (en) | 2019-08-29 | 2019-08-29 | Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product |
| EP20856624.0A EP4022128A4 (en) | 2019-08-29 | 2020-08-28 | Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product |
| PCT/IB2020/058049 WO2021038511A1 (en) | 2019-08-29 | 2020-08-28 | Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE1950982A SE544591C2 (en) | 2019-08-29 | 2019-08-29 | Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| SE1950982A1 true SE1950982A1 (en) | 2021-03-01 |
| SE544591C2 SE544591C2 (en) | 2022-09-13 |
Family
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Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE1950982A SE544591C2 (en) | 2019-08-29 | 2019-08-29 | Method of producing an imprintable cellulose fiber product and a fiber product |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP4022128A4 (en) |
| SE (1) | SE544591C2 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2021038511A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL2024533B1 (en) * | 2019-12-20 | 2021-09-02 | Huhtamaki Molded Fiber Tech Bv | Method for producing a moulded pulp material for packaging unit and such packaging unit |
| WO2022219519A1 (en) * | 2021-04-12 | 2022-10-20 | Stora Enso Oyj | A multilayered moulded product and method for the preparation thereof |
| SE2150449A1 (en) * | 2021-04-12 | 2022-10-13 | Kiefel Gmbh | A cellulose fiber structure comprising a barrier layer |
| FI20225945A1 (en) * | 2022-10-19 | 2024-04-20 | Metsae Spring Oy | A method and a moulded multi-layered fibrous product |
| FI20225944A1 (en) * | 2022-10-19 | 2024-04-20 | Metsae Spring Oy | A method, a moulded multi-layered fibrous product, and use thereof |
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| SE528685C2 (en) * | 2004-11-26 | 2007-01-23 | Pakit Int Trading Co Inc | Method and machine for making fiber products of stock |
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- 2019-08-29 SE SE1950982A patent/SE544591C2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
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- 2020-08-28 EP EP20856624.0A patent/EP4022128A4/en not_active Withdrawn
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| JPH0813400A (en) * | 1994-06-21 | 1996-01-16 | Okabe Eng Kk | Production of formed material using pulp fiber sheet as raw material |
| US20040013830A1 (en) * | 2000-04-26 | 2004-01-22 | Akira Nonomura | Heat insulating container |
| JP2002138400A (en) * | 2000-11-01 | 2002-05-14 | Toppan Printing Co Ltd | Molded pulp container and method for producing the same |
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2021038511A1 (en) | 2021-03-04 |
| EP4022128A4 (en) | 2023-09-06 |
| EP4022128A1 (en) | 2022-07-06 |
| SE544591C2 (en) | 2022-09-13 |
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| NAV | Patent application has lapsed |