Eucalyptus fiber modification using dielectric-barrier discharge

Abstract

This study involves an investigation of the impact of the various levels of atmospheric dielectricbarrier discharge (DBD) treatment on the surface of eucalyptus fibers at different levels of beating with the objective of enhancing paper strength properties. The DBD treatment led to significant improvements in wet-strength tensile properties, increasing them by 2%-112%, as a function of the dosage of atmospheric plasma applied. Also, using controlled dosages of the DBD treatment, dry-strength tensile could be improved, reaching a 58% increase. In addition, non-beaten samples showed greater increases in strength properties than the beaten samples. Moreover, the acid surface content was unaltered by the DBD treatment, perhaps due to over-oxidation and generation of low molecular weight species that are easily removed by washing with water. Furthermore, increases in wettability could be observed for specific DBD dosage of treatments. Atomic force microscopy images of the treated handsheets showed that DBD treatment results in surface smoothing of the fibers. In conclusion, DBD treatment was shown tobe an effective approach for eucalyptus fiber modification, especially in terms of enhancement of wet-strength properties.