Fenton pre-treated microfibrillated cellulose evaluated as a strength enhancer in the middle ply of paperboard

Microfibrillated celluloses (MFCs), produced by various pre-treatments of a fully bleached birch kraft pulp, were evaluated as strength enhancers in test sheets representing the middle ply of paperboard. The furnish consisted of hydrogen peroxide bleached high temperature spruce chemithermomechanical pulp (HT-CTMP), MFC and a retention system containing cationic starch and an anionic silica sol. The MFC was prepared via a mechanical treatment in a colloid mill after pretreatment with Fenton's reagent, monocomponent endoglucanase or acidic hydrogen peroxide. Addition of 5% MFC, produced with Fenton pre-treatment, resulted in improved HT-CTMP properties with respect to increased tensile index (similar to 35%), z-directional strength (similar to 50%), tensile stiffness index (similar to 25%) compared to HT-CTMP test sheets prepared without MFC addition. The strength improvement was linearly correlated to the density of the tests sheet, to the surface area (BET) and to the surface charge of the enzymatic or chemically pre-treated MFCs.