Fiber Feedstock Research Articles

Insights into lignocellulosic fiber feedstock and its impact on pulp and paper manufacturing: A comprehensive review

Concerns about the depletion of wood resources and the environmental impact of increasing demand for paper goods have led to the quest for alternate sources of fiber for pulp and paper manufacture. Non-wood fibers, such as agricultural residues, are seen as a sustainable and renewable source of fiber. However, due to changes in chemical composition, unpredictability, and processing methods, their utilization offers obstacles. Nonetheless, ongoing research in non-wood fiber pulping drives the development of new methods and technologies to enhance non-wood fibers' processability. Kraft pulping, known for efficacy and adaptability. This review provides comprehensive insights into the utilization of lignocellulosic non-wood fibers as sustainable alternatives to wood in pulp and paper manufacturing, backed by recent research. It explores the feasibility of non-wood fiber utilization and assesses various pulping processes' impacts on their properties. Notably, innovative pulping methodologies have emerged, addressing conventional approach shortcomings. Further research should focus on refining innovative pulping techniques and exploring alternative compounds to replace conventional chemicals, reducing ecological footprints. Efforts are needed to enhance non-wood fibers' processability through technology development. Collaboration among researchers, industry, and policymakers is vital to drive advancements and facilitate widespread non-wood fiber adoption. Exploring non-wood fiber applications beyond pulp and paper manufacturing could diversify fiber supply chains sustainably. In summary, the future of non-wood fibers in the pulp and paper industry is promising, with ongoing research and innovation expected to unlock their full potential, driving positive environmental and economic outcomes.

Carbon Fiber Composites Recycling Technology Enabled by the TuFF Technology

Carbon Fiber Composites (CFCs) recycling has received increasing interest by the composites industry, but it is still in its early stages as an industry. There are two primary challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve full property retention during CFC recycling: (1) the ability to recover the fiber content without property loss; and (2) conversion of the recycled, short fiber material back into high-performance CFC structures. The ability to manufacture high fiber volume fraction CFCs with end-of-life products would provide an opportunity to reduce material cost and lifetime-embodied energy. In this paper, recycled, short carbon fibers are processed via solvolysis and converted into high-performance CFCs with fiber volume fraction of ~50% and excellent composite property retention. This is enabled through alignment of the discontinuous, recycled fiber feedstock using the Tailorable universal Feedstock for Forming (TuFF) process. The paper introduces the necessary steps to process the fibers in the wet-laid process and explores the resulting mechanical and microstructural properties. The importance of incoming fiber surface quality and the effect of surface contamination from residue left by the recycling process on both the TuFF process and final composite properties is discussed in detail. A pyrolytic process has been adopted to remove the residue that is a by-product of the recycling process from the incoming recycled fiber surface. The approach presents a promising pathway for the recycling of high-performance CFCs.

In-plane shear and tensile behavior of two-pass injection-molded glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites with different fiber lengths

Glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (GF-PP) composites have proven a great potential in the designation and manufacturing of control arms, leaf springs, barriers, beams and bridge decks. Two-pass injection molding of GF-PP was investigated in this study. Polypropylene (PP) was injected with different weight fractions (w%) of chopped glass fibers (GFs) with different fiber feedstock lengths (FFSLs). The composites were then crushed and re-injected once again. Some specimens were burned out to check the actual weight fractions and fiber lengths after the injection processes. The fiber lengths dramatically decreased due to damages during two-pass injection processes and crushing. The manufactured specimens were tested in tension, and the results indicated that the tensile strength increased slightly at w = 10% of GF. Further increase of GF weight fraction leads to a drop in the tensile strength below neat PP. The results of SEM micrographs showed an increase in air voids concentrations at high GF percentages which clarifies the reason behind the drop in the tensile strength. Also, in-plane shear tests were carried out using the Iosipescu fixture where a slight increase in the in-plane shear strength was noticed by increasing fiber weight fractions. In-plane shear moduli of all specimens were measured experimentally by strain gauges and calculated theoretically. The shear modulus was enhanced by glass fiber addition and a further increase was noticed by increasing the fiber weight fractions.

Comparison between bearing strengths of molded-in and machined holes of GFR/PP composites

This study is an investigation of weight fraction (wt%) and fiber feedstock length (FFSL) effects on the bearing strength (BS) of bolted joints in glass-fiber-reinforced (GFR) polypropylene (PP) composites manufactured by an injection molding technique. The investigation was made for holes produced either by molding or machining. For machined holes, the effect of drilling parameters (feed and speed) on BS was discussed. It is observed that BS decreased as FFSL increased. BS of both molded-in and drilled specimens was enhanced by increasing wt% of glass fiber. While slightly better BS was observed for molded-in specimens than drilled ones for all specimens. The drilling conditions’ effect on BS was found to be insignificant for drilled holes in long fibers reinforced PP, where the most significant factor was wt%. However, for short fibers reinforced PP, the spindle speed was the most significant factor followed by feed, while wt% has the lowest effect. Failure morphology mode for specimens indicates that for molded-in specimens, neat PP specimens failed under pure bearing mode while GFR/PP specimens failed under the mixed-mode failure (bearing and net tension). For machined specimens, all specimens failed under mixed-mode failure except for the highest wt% specimens which failed under net tension.

Comparative life cycle assessment of coffee jar lids made from biocomposites containing poly(lactic acid) and banana fiber

Composites containing bio-based materials, like banana fiber and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), are potential food-packaging materials. We carried out an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of coffee jar lids made from high density polyethylene (HDPE), PLA, and banana fiber to assess their environmental performance. We considered differences in the type of blend (content of PLA and banana fiber in the composite), origin of the banana fiber feedstock (considered as either biowaste or as a co-product from banana production) and banana fiber pretreatment conditions (either no pretreatment or pretreatment using chemicals). Irrespective of the scenario, a lid made from 40% banana fiber and equal amounts of HDPE and PLA performed significantly better in all 18 impact categories when compared to a lid made from 100% PLA. By contrast, the same lid performed significantly better in 3 impact categories only (climate change, photochemical oxidant formation and fossil depletion) when compared to a lid made from 100% HDPE. Thus, environmental performance of the biocomposite strongly depends on which polymer base is replaced by the banana fiber in the composite. Replacing PLA with banana fiber is generally expected to bring environmental benefits.

Resource-friendly carbon fiber composites: combining production waste with virgin feedstock

Reclaimed carbon fiber materials were studied in this paper with the aim of improving virgin fiber feedstock usage. Both processing and mechanical properties were investigated. The compaction response showed lower fiber volume fractions in reclaimed fiber materials than the virgin continuous reinforcement from which it was reclaimed. In addition, localized high-strain regions were observed during consolidation of the dry fiber and mechanical loading of cured laminates. These vulnerable failure points were mitigated by incorporating virgin continuous fiber feedstock into the laminate. A knock-down in mechanical properties was observed, however classical laminated plate theory identified a planar stiffness drop of 3.5 GPa for every 10% increase in reclaimed carbon fiber content in a continuous fiber laminate. Increased feedstock usage by combining both virgin and reclaimed carbon fibers was shown to be viable option to implement more resource efficient, but heavier, composite structures.

Evaluation of composite fiber-plastics biomass clinkering under the gasification conditions

Cross contamination and non-recyclables remain after the separation of valuables in the recycling process, especially with commingled or single stream recycling systems. Therefore, some carbonaceous fractions of recyclables, such as plastics and fibers, are left as a potential biomass feedstock for the thermochemical or thermal conversion processes. However, this fraction of waste is more likely to be highly contaminated and challenging, or may become unpredictable during its reuse in the thermal conversion process for heat and power applications. The current study aims to find how the increase in plastic specifically in the recycled fiber stream may affect the performance of a downdraft gasifier. Therefore, the effect of plastic combined with fiber feedstock during gasification has been investigated. For this purpose, three different plastic percentages of 2%, 5%, and 10% mixed with fiber were studied. The results showed that higher plastic-containing feedstock has higher energy content; however, the higher plastic content causes mechanical performance issues inside the reactor and does not necessarily guarantee greater biomass heating value. Furthermore, gasifying the higher plastic percentage results in a temperature drop across the reactor. This change in temperature is the result of thermal reactions of fiber material mixed with plastic that generates firm clinkers and interrupts the normal conditions in the reactor. The clinker predominantly contains aluminum, silicon, calcium and sodium that originate from the source of fiber and plastic. This research has shown that a mixture of silicon with aluminum, calcium and sodium under high temperatures result in the generation of a solid clinker that ultimately moves through the reactor and deposits at the bottom of the reactor.

Engineering bast fiber feedstocks for use in composite materials

Bast fibers (i.e. the phloem fibers of crops such as flax and hemp) have been used for millennia in textiles and cordage and are now promising feedstocks for the production of strong, light weight, renewable composite materials. Several factors limit the broad commercial application of bast fibers in composites, including: (i) variability of fiber properties, (ii) their poor adhesion with conventional resins, (iii) moisture absorption by natural fibers and (iv) cost of production, especially as this relates to extraction of high-quality fibers. These problems will be discussed in the context of fiber developmental biology and of potential solutions enabled by genomics and biotechnology.

Mechanical performance and moisture absorption of various natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites

Natural fibers are seeing increased use in composite applications due to their reduced cost, low density, and environmental benefits (more sustainable and lower carbon footprint). Although many natural fiber systems have been examined over the last decade, there have been relatively few studies which have compared a variety of fiber types and processing methods directly in the same experimental set. In this study, natural fiber composites made from low density polyethylene (LDPE) and a variety of Canadian based fiber feedstocks were examined including hemp bast, flax bast, chemically pulped wood, wood chips, wheat straw, and mechanically pulped triticale. The effect of fiber type, fiber fraction and maleic anhydride polyethylene (MAPE) coupling agent on the mechanical properties and long‐term moisture absorption behavior was quantified. In general, addition of natural fiber to LDPE results in an increase in modulus (stiffness) with a corresponding loss of material elongation and impact toughness. Of the fiber types tested, composites made from chemically pulped wood had the best mechanical properties and the least moisture absorption. However, the use of MAPE coupling agent was found to significantly increase the mechanical performance and reduce moisture absorption for all other natural fiber types. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 969‐980, 2013

Incorporation of bark and tops in Eucalyptus globulus wood pulping

Bark and the tops of E. globulus trees were considered for kraft pulping under industrial conditions. Pulping experiments included wood, bark, tops, and composite samples. Top wood had an average chemical composition most similar to that of wood but with somewhat lower cellulose content (52.8% vs. 56.9%) and higher lignin content (18.8% vs. 17.8%). There was also a small difference between tops and wood for non-polar extractives, which were higher for tops (2.0% vs. 1.4%). Bark had a less favorable chemical composition with more extractives, especially polar extractives (5.3% vs. 1.6%) and 1% NaOH solubility (19.9% vs. 12.2%), pentosans (23.7% vs. 21.3%), and ash (2.9% vs. 1.0%), although the fiber length was higher (1.12 mm vs. 0.98 mm). The kraft pulps obtained using bark showed significantly lower yield, delignification degree, and strength properties but had a quicker response to refining. The incorporation of tops and bark in the wood pulping in levels below or similar to a corresponding whole-stem, however, had a limited effect on pulp yield, kappa number, refining, and pulp strength properties. These additional raw-materials, which were estimated to be 26% of the commercial stem wood (14% bark and 12% tops), may therefore be considered in enlarging the eucalypt fiber feedstock in kraft pulping.

China Backtracks On Plant Closure

A petrochemical facility in Dalian, China, is still in operation months after the local government ordered its closure. Commissioned three years ago, the p-xylene plant is owned by the local conglomerate Fujia Group and Dalian Petrochemical, a subsidiary of PetroChina. Last August, the government of the city of Dalian ordered the closure of the facility amid large public protests after a typhoon that nearly flooded it ( CE they never stopped,” says Ashish Pujari, director of fibers and fiber feedstocks at the market research firm IHS Chemical in Singapore. Pujari notes that IHS is in regular contact with ...

Changes in the Fuel Pellet Industry in the Lake States, 2005 to 2008

Abstract Fuel pellets are becoming popular for home heating and electrical generation. Although wood residues such as sawdust, chips, and shavings have been a significant fiber feed stock pellet production, paper waste, agricultural residue, and roundwood also can be used. In 2005, 41% of the fiber feed stock used to produce pellets in the Lake States was wood residue, 27% was wastepaper or agricultural residue, and 32% was multiple or unspecified fiber feed stocks. Between 2005 and 2008, the number of wood pellet processing facilities in the Lake States region nearly doubled, and the volume of products manufactured increased by 300%. Facility expansion required an additional 592,000 dry tons of fiber feed stock. Forty-three percent of the additional feed stock was wood residue, 25% was roundwood, 18% was agricultural residue, and 13% was undefined or multiple feed stocks. In 2008, two facilities producing 67,000 tons of pellets were under construction, and four plants slated to produce an additional 600,000 tons of product were in the planning stage. The primary product manufactured in these new or planned facilities will be commercial fuel pellets, and the primary feed stock will be roundwood, harvest residues, and paper and agriculture waste. The potential increase in the demand for lower quality roundwood by these new facilities could replace the declining demand for this material by the paper industry. If the pellet industry continues to expand, it could compete for roundwood used by the fuel chips and pulpwood industries.

A bioethanol process development unit: initial operating experiences and results with a corn fiber feedstock

Interest in bioethanol production from lignocellulosic feedstocks for use as an alternative fuel is increasing, but near-term commercialization will require a low cost feedstock. One such feedstock, corn fiber, was tested in the US Department of Energy (DOE)/National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) bioethanol pilot plant for the purpose of testing integrated equipment operation and generating performance data. During initial runs in 1995, the plant was operated for two runs lasting 10 and 15 days each and utilized unit operations for feedstock handling, pretreatment by dilute sulfuric-acid hydrolysis, yeast inoculum production, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using a commercially available cellulase enzyme. Although significant operational problems were encountered, as would be expected with the startup of any new plant, operating experience was gained and preliminary data were generated on corn fiber pretreatment and subsequent fermentation of the pretreated material. Bacterial contamination was a significant problem during these fermentations.

96/05927 Studies of treatment of coking gas for hydrogen production feed and its commercial applications

Cross contamination and non-recyclables remain after the separation of valuables in the recycling process, especially with commingled or single stream recycling systems. Therefore, some carbonaceous fractions of recyclables, such as plastics and fibers, are left as a potential biomass feedstock for the thermochemical or thermal conversion processes. However, this fraction of waste is more likely to be highly contaminated and challenging, or may become unpredictable during its reuse in the thermal conversion process for heat and power applications. The current study aims to find how the increase in plastic specifically in the recycled fiber stream may affect the performance of a downdraft gasifier. Therefore, the effect of plastic combined with fiber feedstock during gasification has been investigated. For this purpose, three different plastic percentages of 2%, 5%, and 10% mixed with fiber were studied. The results showed that higher plastic-containing feedstock has higher energy content; however, the higher plastic content causes mechanical performance issues inside the reactor and does not necessarily guarantee greater biomass heating value. Furthermore, gasifying the higher plastic percentage results in a temperature drop across the reactor. This change in temperature is the result of thermal reactions of fiber material mixed with plastic that generates firm clinkers and interrupts the normal conditions in the reactor. The clinker predominantly contains aluminum, silicon, calcium and sodium that originate from the source of fiber and plastic. This research has shown that a mixture of silicon with aluminum, calcium and sodium under high temperatures result in the generation of a solid clinker that ultimately moves through the reactor and deposits at the bottom of the reactor.

Market Outlook Improves For Polyester And Nylon Fiber

Nylon and polyester fiber prices usually dance to a slow beat. This year, they have been doing the jitterbug. Fiber manufacturers have recently raised prices after about three years in which prices have remained steady or declined. Recently, too, demand for these fibers has improved, resulting in a stronger market for the surviving big players. Fiber feedstock prices also are up. Prices for polyester raw materials terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol, and p-xylene have all increased in recent months; and the increases continue, points out William B. Harris, senior vice president of fiber producer Hoechst Celanese. In the case of nylon, caprolactam for nylon 6 fibers and adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine for nylon 6,6 have also increased in price. The cost of some nylon raw materials has risen about 40% in the past year, notes Gary Pfeiffer, vice president and general manager of DuPont's North America nylon business. Process improvements have limited the effect of increased ...