Valorization of Corn Stalk by the Production of Cellulose Nanofibers to Improve Recycled Paper Properties

• Published in: Bioresources Vol. 11; no. 2; pp. 3416 - 3431
• Main Authors: Balea, Ana, Merayo, Noemí, Fuente, Elena, Delgado-Aguilar, Marc, Mutje, Pere, Blanco, Angeles, Negro, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: North Carolina State University. Dept of Wood Paper Science, College of Natural Resources 01.05.2016; North Carolina State University
• Subjects: Agricultural waste; Cellulose fibers; CNF; Corn stalk; Fibres de cel·lulosa; Materials nanoestructurats; Mechanical properties; Nanocellulose; Nanostructured materials; Paper properties; Paper vell; Pasta de paper; Propietats mecàniques; Reciclatge; Recycled paper; Recycling; Waste paper; Wood-pulp
• ISSN: 1930-2126; 1930-2126
• DOI: 10.15376/biores.11.2.3416-3431

Corn stalk, an agricultural waste, was valorized by the production of cellullose nanofibers (CNF), which were tested for impriving recycled paper properties. CNF from eucalyptus kraft pulp (E-CNF) was used as a reference. Addition of 0,5%wt. CNF produced from organosolv pulp (C-CNF) to recycled paper increased the tensile index by 20%, whereas the same improvement with E-CNF was achieved at 1.5%wt. Tensile index was further enhanced by increasinmg the E-CNF, whereas C-CNF achieved its maximum effect at this dose. Different recycled furnishes studied. The tensile index improvement caused by C-CNF did not depend on the proportions of old newspaper and old magazine paper used. Addition of C-CNF to recycled corrugated board fluting increased the tensile srenght, but to a slightly lower extent than in the case of recycled newsprint paper