ANALYSIS OF CELLULOSIC FIBER MORPHOLOGY INFLUENCES ON MASS DISTRIBUTION UNIFORMITY IN TISSUE PAPER THROUGH STATISTICAL GEOMETRY

Abstract

"Quality attributes of tissue products establish important differentials in the current scenario of fierce competition. Although the formation of the tissue paper is not monitored in industrial processes, it is imperative to recognize its importance for developing quality properties. A theoretical analysis of influences of the fiber morphology and furnish composition on the prediction of mass distribution uniformity in the paper forming process is presented. The theory utilizes the Poisson distribution for the grammage probability of points on the sheet, taken as a random fibrous network. The simulations revealed that lower grammage coefficients of variation could be achieved with total or predominant addition of eucalyptus fibers in mixtures with Pinus spp. fibers. The results provide meaningful insights into the understanding of how the selection of fiber type and pulp blend could help in achieving suitable structural uniformity of the sheet, in the forming process, in view of the expected paper quality."