Investigation of the Mixed Refining of a Novel Fly Ash-based Calcium Silicate Filler with Fiber

• Main Authors: Meiyun Zhang, Ning Hao, Shunxi Song, Jian Wang, Yangyu Wu, Lin Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: North Carolina State University 2014-07-01
• Series: BioResources
• Subjects: Paper filler; Fly ash; Calcium silicate; Mixed refining; Bulk; Tensile; Optical properties
• Online Access: http://ojs.cnr.ncsu.edu/index.php/BioRes/article/view/BioRes_09_3_5175_Zhang_Mixed_Refining_Fly_Ash

In this paper, the mixed refining of fiber and a novel fly ash-based calcium-silicate (FACS) filler is proposed as a new filler application method, as it has some advantages over the traditional filling method. Paper produced using this filler application technique exhibits improved strength and optical properties but reduced bulk. SEM images were obtained to show the FACS filler-fiber composite structure that formed during the mixed refining process. Two models were proposed to describe the mechanism by which the mixed refining process improved the paper properties. Mixed refining can decrease the size of FACS particles, especially if the filler/fiber ratio is low. It was suggested that handsheets filled with small FACS particles had low bulk, which was beneficial for increasing the interfiber H-bonding. Decreasing the filler/fiber ratio improved the paper strength and optical properties at the expense of some bulk, a loss which varied depending on filler content.