1. Microfibrillated cellulose and its applications in papermaking
ZELLCHEMING 2017
Per Svending, FiberLean Technologies Ltd
Johannes Kritzinger, FiberLean Technologies Ltd

2. MFC-mineral composite in paper
From this picture it is clear that the composite approach is interesting from the point of view of the association between the MFC and the mineral being able to survive the turbulent papermaking conditions so that the mineral ends up being well bound into the paper structure.
This picture of a pilot machine produced paper was shown when we first presented FiberLean some years ago.

3. Global Patent filings have exploded since 2008
Patent Applications in Micro and Nano Cellulosics
We are certainly not alone in this field! Since the FiberLean project started in 2008 the general development has evolved extremely rapidly.
500%
increase

4. What is Micro- and Nano-cellulose?
The activities are however spread over quite a wide range of product types. Most are wood based, but some are also based on agricultural waste. The broader product groups can be split up as MFC, NFC and NCC, but within these there are significant differences between the various product concepts being presented.
Wood
Wood Pulp
Microfibrillated
Nanofibrillated
Hydrolysis
NanoCrystals

5. Numerous companies active in this field
A mix of pulp & paper suppliers, Kruger, Sappi, NPI, Weidmann, Domtar (Celluforce) Fibria, UPM, StoraEnso, and start-up´s.
+ a very large number of universities and research institutes.

6. Their aim is to exploit the unique properties of Micro- and Nanocellulose
Potential advantages:
Abundant, natural raw material
Renewable, biodegradable and biocompatible
High strength and modulus
High thermal stability
Lightweight
Optical transparancy
High water binding capability
High aspect ratio and high surface area
Chemical functionality and modification opportunities
Dimensional stability
Barrier properties
There are a number of potentially valuable properties that Nanocellulosics can offer for a wide range of industrial applications. The area of use is certainly not limited to the paper industry. In fact, most producers aim at markets outside of paper.

7. Global market potential estimates differ, but all say a major market is emerging
Volume/Value By
Vireo Advisors, high estimate
56 million ton
”potential”
US Department of Agriculture
34 million ton
by 2045
RISI, potential
23,5 million ton
Vireo Advisors, low estimate
18 million ton
RISI, forecast
450 kton
2025
Arbora Nano
145 kton
N.A.
CelluForce
15 kton
2017
Future Markets
800 ton
Zion Research
$65 million
2015
RnR Markets
$250 million
2014
Government of Japan
$8 billion
2030
All estimates are optimistically forecasting this to become a huge market!
Multiple estimates indicating millions of ton/year medium term market for micro/nanocellulose!

8. FiberLean® Technologies is strong in MFC
CONFIDENTIAL
A “Technology Joint Venture” between Imerys and Omya
Imerys and Omya both offer unique networks and know-how to commercialize FiberLean products
Industrial process
Co-grinding pulp and mineral
Robust, reliable and scalable
Multiple customer implementations on-going
Satellite plants for paper and packaging customers
Installed capacity 40k tons of FiberLean® MFC
Growing portfolio of Applications and Intellectual Property
FLTL is a strong player in this market. One of our core strengths is that we have two strong owners with established presence in most of the industries where the use of MFC/NFC is expected to grow. We also have a proven industrial scale process capable of delivering serious quantities of MFC.

9. Approximate Nanocellulose dimensions and position of FiberLean® MFC
Pulp
(softwood)
FiberLean MFC is around 100 nm in width but, importantly, also very long, around 100 microns. We believe that fibril lenght and a network structure is critical to make MFC work well as a paper-making wet-end additive.
MFC
NFC/CNF
NCC/CNC

10. A conceptual view of the filler increase concept
~10% extra filler
from 2% MFC
Strength
MFC
dose: 2% 1% 0%
MFC and filler replacing pulp
Maintained PM efficieny
Maintained quality
Cost reduction!
Our core application today is ”filler increase for cost savings”. This is based on the optimised MFC-mineral composite having a lower cost than the market pulp it replaces. Given established levels of pricing for pulp and fillers this effectively restricts the level of cost for MFC to a level where industrial efficiency and cost control is crucial in order to create cost savings for the paper mill.
Filler content

11. MFC strength effect at the press section
10,2%
The most important impact of adding MFC to paper is the effect on initial wet web strength. This is basically what allows running at higher filler loading with maintained paper machine operations efficiency. This is also the key differentiator versus other dry strength additives, such as starch.
Note: Results from a pilot machine trial using 450 ml CSF, 30% Pine / 70% Euca furnish and GCC filler.
Actual filler content of trial points indicated above.

12. Filler increase with MFC
Increasing filler though applying FiberLean® MFC has a positive impact on a wide range of properties
Impact on:
Filler increase
Filler increase with MFC
Comments:
Cost savings:
+++ +
Cost of MFC…
Opacity: ++
Even higher with MFC
Brightness:
Smoothness:
Better with MFC
Drainage:
MFC holds back some of the benefit
Strengths:
---
+/-
Wet-strength for runnability, dry strength for quality
Porosity: -
Much lower porosity with MFC
Bulk: --
MFC doesn´t help. Needs paper making trade off´s
The other differentiators are OPACITY and POROSITY where MFC works different than pre-flocculation and addition of water soluable polymers. BULK is the challenge and this is where most of the trial time is spent to work out adjustments and paper making compromised to end up with high filled paper with acceptable bulk and stiffness.

13. On-site plants are relatively significant in size
The filler increase application typically requires a few thousand tonnes of MFC per year. Our on-site approach means we need to build a fairly substantial local plant. It is not a piece of euipment! It is a plant.
One of the two commercial FiberLean on-site plants.

14. On-site plants are relatively significant in size
An internal view from one of our plants
One of the two commercial FiberLean on-site plants.

15. Global Packaging is a huge business
Growing faster than GDP
Containerboard
Sub-segments:
Kraftliner (virgin fiber based)
Testliner (recycled fiber based)
White Top Liner
Fluting or Medium, mainly recycled
Boxboard or Cartonboard
Chipboard (recyled fiber based)
Solid Bleached Board, Ivoryboard (virgin fiber based)
Folding Boxboard (virgin fiber based)
Coated Unbleached Kraft (virgin fiber based)
Other packaging
Sackpaper
Wrapping
Specialities
etc.
Today we are working hard to widen the application areas to include packaging grades where ”filler increase” is typically not what they want.
This is an attractive growth market fighting to win market share against plastics and other materials.

16. FiberLean® MFC and FDA food contact notification
FiberLean® MFC has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a food contact substance in paper and paperboard for food packaging applications.
A Food Contact Notification (FCN) became effective on November 6, This FCN allows up to 5 weight percent of FiberLean® MFC fibrils in the packaging.
A prerequisit for going after this market is that the product is safe to use in food contact applications. FL MFC has been cleared by the FDA and is in the process of getting clearance by the European regulatory authorities.

17. Folding Boxboard application, full scale results
22 g/m2
22 g/m2
Filler increase and basis weight reduction in Top/Back
2.25% MFC in each
+10% filler in each, 4 g/m2 of top layer and 3 g/m2 of bottom replaced by middle layer
Conditions chosen to maintain stiffness
Machine speed, filler retention and runnability maintained
Specification maintained at reduced cost
Bending stiffness and brightness unchanged
Significantly improved smoothness
48 g/m2
+10% filler
52 g/m2
223 g/m2
230 g/m2
28 g/m2
25 g/m2
FL in the outer layers of FBB was the first packaging application we went after. It is similar to the P&W paper filler increase application but here the opacity advantage is used to allow reduction in basis weight of the outer plies. By moving weight to the bulkier middle ply it is possible to end up with maintained stiffness, lower cost and improved surface properties.

18. Folding Boxboard mid-ply application
Strength is the limiting factor when striving for the highest possible bulk and stiffness. Addition of MFC changes the game.
In full scale operation we have proven that it is possible to acheive light-weighting of high quality FBB while still increasing speed and production output.
The other FBB application is to put a MFC-mineral composite with minimum level of mineral into the middle ply as a strength reinforcement. This allows the mill to move to a higher Freeness middle ply furnish and gain bulk/stiffness. The change also results in overall easier drainage and a positive impact on productivity.

19. Global containerboard consumption growth
Overall growth broadly in line with GDP
Increasing recycling rate (becoming a problem)
Rapid sub-segment growth in white printed boxes.
Containerboard is another attractive segment for MFC. The growth rate is sound with rapidly increasing use of recycled grades. Within this segment there is particularly good growth in demand for white boxes suitable for printing.
Source: RISI Historical data Q1 -16

20. White Top Liner application, full scale results
Filler increase and basis weight reduction
2.5% MFC in white layer
+9% filler in the white layer
10 g/m2 of top layer replaced by brown layer
Conditions chosen to maintain brightness
Machine speed, filler retention and runnability maintained
Specification maintained at reduced cost
Minor changes in strength properties
Large reduction in air permeability
40% increase in Scott Bond
Potential for higher filler increase and brightness
52 g/m2
14,5% filler
42 g/m2
23,5% filler
80 g/m2
90 g/m2
Our proven concept for White Top Liner is very similar to our work in FBB outer layers. The difference is that here you can go further in filler loading and grammage reduction as the key contribution to strength comes from the base liner. In full scale trials we have proven this 9% filler increase with good results and reduced overall cost.

21. FiberLean on Top, coating at the wet-end
Pure FiberLean applied as a low solids slurry on the consolidating base layer.
The composite of MFC and mineral is typically of lower cost than market pulp and has the ability to stay on the surface without penetrating into the base.
The top layer can be drained using existing foils and vaccum boxes.
Pressing and drying works well with increased press solids.
The top layer is strong and has good adhesion while offering excellent coverage, low porosity and good smoothness.
In this new application, still under development, we have taken a quantum leap forward. After having struggled with the poor rheology of MFC for regular coating we have taken the extreme approach of coating at the wet-end.

22. Properties as a function of coat weight
Regular WTL brightness levels can be reached by as little as g/m2 of coat weight. The surface becomes much more closed and smooth. Scott Bond remains constant as the surface layer is stronger than the base.
Pilot scale trial results.
Base substrate: 86 g/m2 unbleached kraft linerboard.

23. White Top Linerboards
Compromise between strong base and printable surface
The most important strength property for linerboard is tensile stiffness or modulus (although these are never specified directly) It´s about building the I-beam effect with the medium. The FLoT surface is lower in tensile than conventional White Top but instead we can offer a much greater proportion of strong base liner.
Brightness:
Base ply: 61% % %

24. Suitable for roll-to-roll aqueous Inkjet printing
Printing properties can be tailored through selection of mineral in the composite.
Mineral 1
Mineral 2
The cost of making WTL can be greatly reduced using this technology. There are clearly lower variable costs and the capital cost for rebuilding a machine from brown or grey liner to White Top can be reduced by an order of magnitude. The most promising part is however the good printability that can be achieved. The 80% mineral and 20% MFC containing surface offers a great combination of ink hold out and ink drying in both Flexo and Inkjet. The properties can be fine tuned by optimising the mineral that goes into the formulation. We expect this to become a major future market for MFC.
Mineral 4
Mineral 3
Pictures scanned off inkjet printed samples from pilot scale FiberLean on Top, wet-end coating.
The coating can be tailored to suitable printing properties by varying the mineral.
High print density in combination with rapid drying is possible.

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