Cellulosic product forming process and wet formed cellulosic product

• US 8,741,105 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AWI Licensing LLC (Armstrong World Industries Incorporated), University of Maine System Board of Trustees
• Original Assignee: AWI Licensing Company (Armstrong World Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beaupre, James J., Neivandt, David J., Kehrer, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): FORTUNA, JOSE A
• Application Number:
  US12/873,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20110048661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 162/101, 162/158, 162/179, 162183-185, 162/210
• US Class Current: 162/158
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 11/14 Secondary fibres working-up waste paper D21C5/02
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/07 Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/11 Halides
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/46 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/10 Retention agents or drainage improvers
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/14 characterised by function or properties in or on the paper D21H19/66, D21H27/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/24 Surfactants

Abstract

According to the disclosure, a wet form cellulosic product forming process and a wet formed cellulosic product are disclosed. The process includes providing a slurry, forming the slurry into a cellulosic product, dewatering the cellulosic product, and drying the cellulosic product. Further dewatering of the cellulosic product occurs through a non-mechanical mechanism.

Claims

1. A wet form cellulosic product forming process, the process comprising:

preparing a pulp slurry comprising cellulosic fibers, water and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide;

forming the slurry into a cellulosic product; and

dewatering the cellulosic product, wherein the cellulosic product is dewatered through a non-mechanical mechanism, the non-mechanical mechanism being provided by cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, and wherein said cetyl trimethylammonium bromide comprises from about 0.1% to about 1.0%, by weight of the fiber.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of dewatering the cellulosic product further comprises pressing the cellulosic product.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the concentration of solids in the cellulosic product is increased by at least about 1% solids.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic product is paper.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the cellulosic product is ceiling board.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein cetyl trimethylammonium bromide comprises from about 0.3% to about 1.0%, by weight, of the fiber.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein cetyl trimethylammonium bromide comprises 1.0%, by weight, of the fiber.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the slurry is prepared by pulping the fiber in water at a temperature of from about 50 to about 60°

C.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the cationic surfactant is added at the commencement of the pulping process.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of dewatering the cellulosic product comprises the generation of a pressure gradient.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the pressure gradient is created by placing stationary hydrodynamic foils underneath a forming fabric.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein the step of dewatering the cellulosic product further comprises drying the cellulosic product.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the cellulosic product is dried by passing it over steam heated rolls.