Enhanced wet tensile paper properties via dielectric-barrier discharge

Abstract

Abstract Dielectric-barrier discharge treatment was used to modify fully bleached softwood kraft and unbleached softwood thermomechanical pulp handsheets. The effect of dielectric-barrier discharge treatment on the physical strength properties and dimensional stability of handsheets were analyzed. Increased dielectric-barrier discharge treatment power resulted in significant increases in the wet tensile index of handsheets. Increases in the surface acid content of pulp fibers do not appear to contribute to changes in paper properties, nor do changes to relative bonded area within handsheets. Enhanced wet strength via dielectric-barrier discharge treatment corresponds to increased dimensional stability. This appears to be due to fiber cross-linking in the case of bleached kraft pulp, since the wet-strain decreases as wet tensile and wet Young's modulus increase. In the case of unbleached thermomechanical pulp, the wet-strain shows no decrease, yet the wet Young's modulus increases as the wet tensile index increases.