Improvement of linerboard compressive strength by hot-pressing and addition of recovered lignin from spent pulping liquor

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effect of addition of precipitated lignin, from spent pulping black liquor, to a wet single-ply linerboard handsheet followed by hot-pressing at different temperatures, on the improvement of its compressive strength. Linerboard handsheets for testing the effect of lignin addition were prepared so that the lignin-modified sheets would have the same basis weights as the control handsheets. Both the commercial and the black liquor lignin were added as a powder to wet handsheets after couching from the handsheet mold. The experiments and testing of the physical and strength properties of dried handsheets were conducted according to TAPPI test methods. The results revealed that the addition of the recovered lignin (at pH of 2) to the wet handsheet followed by hot-pressing at 150?C increased the compressive strength of linerboard handsheets by 10% to 20% above that for handsheets made without the addition of lignin. The same results were achieved using purchased lignin. However, with a 16% addition to linerboard, purchased lignin would be too expensive. These results indicate that inclusion of kraft lignin in linerboard sheets could be proved as an attractive option to reduce linerboard basis weight.