- CELLULOSE-REINFORCED HIGH MINERAL CONTENT PRODUCTS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of a water-based furnish useful as a feedstock in the production of paper sheets having very high-mineral content products, in particular those having an inorganic filler content of 90% or less, which indicates the properties required for the intended application. The furnish includes a fibrillated long fiber / mineral filler mixed with an anionic acrylic binder and a co-precipitant in the presence or absence of cellulose fibrils. The fibrillated long fibers and the cellulose fibrils provide a reinforced backbone network that ties all of the product components together and a high surface area for greater filler adhesion. The anionic binder permits fast and strong adhesion of the filler particles onto the surface of the fibril when mixing is performed at a temperature above the glass transition temperature (T _g ) of the binder. The new aqueous formulations can be supplemented with other functional and processing additives commonly used in the manufacture of paper and cardboard packaging by single, multi-layer and multi-ply papermaking processes. The aqueous formulation can also be used to make molded articles by a known pulp forming process. The aqueous formulations provide excellent filler retention and drainage during product manufacture.