Agave Fiber Tissue Bulk and Cross-Machine Strength
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wet-pressing methods for tissue sheet production densify the web when wet, limiting sheet bulk and cross-machine direction properties like stretch and tensile energy absorption, making it difficult to enhance these characteristics.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating at least 5% by weight of Agave fibers into the papermaking furnish, which maintains or improves cross-machine direction properties while increasing sheet bulk, by forming a fibrous web with Agave and wood pulp fibers and processing them through a wet-pressed tissue machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wet-pressing method is used to dewater the tissue web, then dewatering efficiency is improved, but sheet bulk is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the furnish by incorporating Agave fibers with specific properties (shorter length, different morphology) to alter the web structure during wet-pressing. This allows the web to maintain higher bulk despite the densifying effect of wet-pressing, as the Agave fibers create a more open, less compressible structure.
2Productivity
If wet-pressing method is used to dewater the tissue web, then dewatering efficiency is improved, but cross-machine direction properties are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite fiber system by blending Agave fibers with traditional wood pulp fibers. The Agave fibers (at least 5% by weight) contribute different mechanical properties and fiber morphology that enhance cross-machine direction stretch and tensile energy absorption, creating a composite material with superior multidirectional properties.
3Strength
If long wood pulp fibers are used to maintain cross-machine direction properties, then tensile strength is maintained, but sheet bulk is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fiber composition parameter by substituting at least 5% of long wood pulp fibers with Agave fibers. This compositional change allows the web to achieve both adequate cross-machine tensile strength and increased sheet bulk, as the Agave fibers create a more voluminous structure while maintaining necessary mechanical properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of Agave fibers results in tissue products with significantly improved sheet bulk and cross-machine direction properties, such as increased tensile strength and tear resistance, without compromising on in-use strength, achieving bulk increases of up to 20% compared to products without Agave fibers.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating at least 5% by weight of Agave fibers into the papermaking furnish, which maintains or improves cross-machine direction properties while increasing sheet bulk
Implementation Method 2
the tissue sheet is formed by depositing an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers onto a forming fabric. The web is then transferred to a papermaking felt and dewatered
Implementation Method 3
The web is then final dried on the surface of the Yankee and subsequently creped
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a wet-pressed tissue product comprising Agave fiber and having improved sheet bulk and good cross-machine tensile, toughness and durability properties. Cross-machine properties are significant because tissue products often fail in the cross-machine direction because it is often the weaker of the two product orientations (cross and machine directions). Accordingly, in certain embodiments the present disclosure provides a three-layered single-ply wet-pressed tissue product comprising high-yield Agave fibers from the leaves of Agave tequilana, Eucalyptus Hardwood Kraft (EHWK) fibers and Northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK), wherein the high-yield Agave fibers comprise at least about 5.0 percent by weight of the tissue product, the product having a CD tensile greater than about 450 g/3″ and sheet bulk greater than about 7.0 cc/g.