Ultrastructural changes at mechanical treatment and drying of pulp

Project leader: Lennart Salmén
Ph.D student: Jesper Fahlén
STFI
Tel.: +46 8 676 70 00
 
Ultrastructural changes at mechanical treatment and drying of pulp

Aim: To clarify how milling and drying of fibres is affecting ultrastructural and fracture-mechanical properties of the fibres in the paper structure. The main point is on investigating the lamellar structure of the fibre wall.

Background: Milling, pressing and drying strongly influence the properties of the pulp fibres and of the resulting paper. Knowledge of fibre ultrastructure in native or processed pulp fibres is missing. Thus the lamellar structure, pore volume and distribution during swelling and drying are needed to study in more detail. This will be done using AFM, TEM and different SEM techniques.

Project group:
Lennart Salmén, STFI
Jesper Fahlén, STFI
Ulf Gedde, Polymer Technology, KTH