Abstract
This study examined the co-reinforcing effects of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and NaOH treatment on the wet strength of paper sheets. CNFs were added to the pulp in varying amounts (20–100%), and the resulting dried sheets were treated with 8 wt% and 16 wt% NaOH. The wet strength of the paper sheets was analyzed and compared. When only CNFs were used, the paper sheet exhibited a wet strength of 10.3 MPa. In contrast, when NaOH treatment was combined, the maximum wet strength of the paper sheet reached 23.1 MPa (8 wt% NaOH) and 22.1 MPa (16 wt% NaOH) at 60% CNF, which were 26- and 24-fold higher than that of the paper sheet without CNFs and NaOH treatment (0.87 MPa), respectively. This result shows that combining CNFs and NaOH treatment is a promising approach for reinforcing paper wet strength.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time due to technical or time limitations.
References
Abe K (2016) Nanofibrillation of dried pulp in NaOH solutions using bead milling. Cellulose 23:1257–1261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-016-0891-4
Abe K, Utsumi M (2020) Wet spinning of cellulose nanofibers via gelation by alkaline treatment. Cellulose 27:10441–10446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-020-03462-6
Abe K, Yano H (2011) Formation of hydrogels from cellulose nanofibers. Carbohydr Polym 85:733–737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.03.028
Abe K, Yano H (2012) Cellulose nanofiber-based hydrogels with high mechanical strength. Cellulose 19:1907–1912. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-012-9784-3
Abe K, Iwamoto S, Yano H (2007) Obtaining cellulose nanofibers with a uniform width of 15 nm from wood. Biomacromoleules 8:3276–32778. https://doi.org/10.1021/bm700624p
Boufi S, González I, Delgado-Aguilar M et al (2016) Nanofibrillated cellulose as an additive in papermaking process: a review. Carbohydr Polym 154:151–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.07.117
Brodin FW, Gregersen ØW, Syverud K (2014) Cellulose nanofibrils: Challenges and possibilities as a paper additive or coating material: a review. Nord Pulp Pap Res J 29:156–166. https://doi.org/10.3183/npprj-2014-29-01-p156-166
Budtova T, Navard P (2016) Cellulose in NaOH–water based solvents: a review. Cellulose 23:5–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-015-0779-8
Cai M, Takagi H, Nakagaito AN et al (2015) Influence of alkali treatment on internal microstructure and tensile properties of abaca fibers. Ind Crops Prod 65:27–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.11.048
Duan Z, Jiang Y, Yan M et al (2019) Facile, flexible, cost-saving, and environment-friendly paper-based humidity sensor for multifunctional applications. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11:21840–21849. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b05709
Fernandes Diniz JMB, Gil MH, Castro JAAM (2004) Hornification—its origin and interpretation in wood pulps. Wood Sci Technol 37:489–494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-003-0216-2
French AD (2014) Idealized powder diffraction patterns for cellulose polymorphs. Cellulose 21:885–896. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-013-0030-4
Gharehkhani S, Sadeghinezhad E, Kazi SN et al (2015) Basic effects of pulp refining on fiber properties—a review. Carbohyd Polym 115:785–803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.08.047
Guan X, Hou Z, Wu K et al (2021) Flexible humidity sensor based on modified cellulose paper. Sens Actuators B Chem 339:129879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2021.129879
Halonen H, Larsson PT, Iversen T (2013) Mercerized cellulose biocomposites: a study of influence of mercerization on cellulose supramolecular structure, water retention value and tensile properties. Cellulose 20:57–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-012-9801-6
Ichiura H, Hirose Y, Masumoto M, Ohtani Y (2017) Ionic liquid treatment for increasing the wet strength of cellulose paper. Cellulose 24:3469–3477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-017-1340-8
Laivins Gv, Scallan AM (1993) The mechanism of hornification of wood pulps. In: Products of papermaking, tenth fundamental research symposium, vol 2, pp 1235
Liu H, Yano H, Abe K (2023) Reinforcement of dry and wet paper sheets by cellulose nanofibers. Cellulose 30:211–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-022-04888-w
Ma J, Zhou X, **ao H, Zhao Y (2014) Effect of NaOH/urea solution on enhancing grease resistance and strength of paper. Nord Pulp Pap Res J 29:246–252. https://doi.org/10.3183/npprj-2014-29-02-p246-252
Mendoza L, Batchelor W, Tabor RF, Garnier G (2018) Gelation mechanism of cellulose nanofibre gels: a colloids and interfacial perspective. J Colloid Interface Sci 509:39–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2017.08.101
Meng Q, Wang TJ (2019) Mechanics of Strong and Tough Cellulose Nanopaper. Appl Mech Rev. https://doi.org/10.1115/14044018
Mo W, Chen K, Yang X, Kong F, Liu J, Li B (2022) Elucidating the hornification mechanism of cellulosic fibers during the process of thermal drying. Carbohydr Polym 289:119434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119434
Nakagaito AN, Yano H (2008) Toughness enhancement of cellulose nanocomposites by alkali treatment of the reinforcing cellulose nanofibers. Cellulose 15:323–331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-007-9168-2
Nakano S, Nakano T (2015) Morphological changes induced in wood samples by aqueous NaOH treatment and their effects on the conversion of cellulose I to cellulose II. Holzforschung 69:483–491. https://doi.org/10.1515/hf-2014-0074
Okano T, Sarko A (1985) Mercerization of cellulose. II. Alkali–cellulose intermediates and a possible mercerization mechanism. J Appl Polym Sci 30:325–332. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.1985.070300128
Oksanen T, Buchert J, Viikari L (1997) The role of hemicelluloses in the hornification of bleached kraft pulps. Holzforschung 51:355–360. https://doi.org/10.1515/hfsg.1997.51.4.355
Paul UC, Fragouli D, Bayer IS, Athanassiou A (2016) Functionalized cellulose networks for efficient oil removal from oil-water emulsions. Polymers (Basel) 8:52. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym8020052
Posada P, Velásquez-Cock J, Gómez-Hoyos C et al (2020) Drying and redispersion of plant cellulose nanofibers for industrial applications: a review. Cellulose 27:10649–10670. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-020-03348-7
Sehaqui H, Zhou Q, Ikkala O, Berglund LA (2011) Strong and tough cellulose nanopaper with high specific surface area and porosity. Biomacromol 12:3638–3644. https://doi.org/10.1021/bm2008907
Turbak AF, Snyder FWSKR (1983) Microfibrillated cellulose, a new cellulose product:properties, uses, and commercial potential. J Appl Polym Sci 37:815–827
Wan JQ, Wang Y, **ao Q (2010) Effects of hemicellulose removal on cellulose fiber structure and recycling characteristics of eucalyptus pulp. Bioresour Technol 101:4577–4583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.01.026
Wise LE, Maxine M, D’Addieco AA (1946) Chlorite holocellulose, its fractionation and bearing on summative wood analysis and on studies on the hemicelluloses. Tech Assoc Pulp Pap Ind 29:35–43
Wohlert M, Benselfelt T, Wågberg L, Furó I, Berglund LA, Wohlert J (2022) Cellulose and the role of hydrogen bonds: not in charge of everything. Cellulose 29:1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-021-04325-4
** J, Lou Y, Jiang S et al (2021) Robust paper-based materials for efficient oil–water emulsion separation. Cellulose 28:10565–10578. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-021-04165-2
Yano H, Nakahara S (2004) Bio-composites produced from plant microfiber bundles with a nanometer unit web-like network. J Mater Sci 39:1635–1638. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JMSC.0000016162.43897.0a
Acknowledgments
Haoyue Liu acknowledges the support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), China and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan for a scholarship grant.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
HL: methodology, investigation, visualization, writing-initial draft, reviewing, and editing. HY: supervision, writing-reviewing, and editing. KA: supervision, writing-reviewing, and editing.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Consent for publication
All authors have reviewed the manuscript and approved its publication.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, H., Yano, H. & Abe, K. Co-reinforcement of paper wet strength by cellulose nanofibers and NaOH treatment. Cellulose 30, 5911–5921 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-023-05224-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-023-05224-6