Cellulose Microfibril Angle as a Determinant of Paper Strength and Hygroexpansivity in <i>Pinus Taeda</i> L.

Authors

  • Charles E. Courchene
  • Gary F. Peter
  • John Litvay

Keywords:

Elastic modulus, hygroexpansivity, kraft pulp, loblolly pine, microfibril angle, paper properties, stiffness, tensile strength, wood fiber, wood properties, zero span tensile strength

Abstract

To determine the importance of cellulose microfibril angle (MFA) for paper sheet mechanical properties, we prepared unbleached kraft pulps from ten individual, 10-year-old Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) trees similar in wood density, coarseness, cell-wall thickness, and fiber length but differing in MFA. MFA correlated (R2 = 0.81) linearly with zero span tensile strength of dry sheets. MFA was shown to be a major determinant of handsheet tensile strength, stretch, modulus of elasticity, stiffness, and hygroexpansivity in unrefined and refined pulps at a probability level of ≥97%. These results strongly suggest that breeding for southern pine trees with decreased MFA in the juvenile wood is highly desirable for paper mechanical products.

References

Bergman, J., and J. Rennel. 1967. The relationship between fiber strength and paper strength. Sven. Papperstidn.22:757-771.nCave, I. D., and L. Hutt. 1968. The anisotropic elasticity of the plant cell wall. Wood Sci. Technol.2(1):268-278.nCourchene, C. E., W. J. Cooper, A. Clark III, B. D. Shiver, and M. L. Belli. 2000. Effects of intensive silvicultural treatments on kraft pulp quality of loblolly and slash pine, Pages 451-459 in TAPPI Pulping/Process and Product Quality Conference, TAPPI Press, Atlanta, GA.nEl-Hosseiny, F., and D. H. Page. 1975. The mechanical properties of single wood pulp fibres: Theories of strength. Fibre Sci. Technol.8(1):21-31.nGroom, L., L. Mott, and S. Shaler. 2002a. Mechanical properties of individual southern pine fibers. Part I. Determination and variability of stress-strain curves with respect to tree height and juvenility. Wood Fiber Sci.34(1):14-27.nGroom, L., L. Mott, and S. Shaler. 2002b. Mechanical properties of individual southern pine fibers. Part III. Global relationships between fiber properties and fiber location within an individual tree. Wood Fiber Sci.34(2): 238-250.nGurnagul, N., D. H. Page, and M. G. Paice. 1992. The effect of cellulose degradation on the strength of wood pulp fibers. Nordic Pulp Paper Res. J.3:152-154.nHarris, J., and B. A. Meylan. 1965. The influence of microfibril angle on longitudinal and tangential shrinkage in Pinus radiata. Holzforschung 19:144-153.nHiller, C. H. 1964. Correlation of fibril angle with wall thickness of tracheids in summerwood of slash and loblolly pine. TAPPI J.47(2):125-128.nJackson, T. G., and D. R. Rothbard. 1999. Exploring frequency space: Applying the 2D FFT, TAPPI Engineering/Process and Product Quality Conference & Trade Fair, TAPPI Press, Pp. 535-554.nKibblewhite, R. P., R. Evans, and J. C. Riddell. 2003. Kraft handsheet, and wood tracheid and chemical property interrelationships for 50 individual radiata pine trees. Appita J.56(3):229-233.nMark, R. E., and P. P. Gillis. 1993. The relationship between fiber modulus and S2 angle. TAPPI J.56(4):164-167.nMcMillin, C. W. 1973. Fibril angle of loblolly pine wood as related to specific gravity, growth rate, and distance from pith. Wood Sci. Technol.7(4):251-255.nMeGraw, R. A. 1997. Wood quality factors in loblolly pine: The influence of tree age, position in tree, and cultural practices on wood specific gravity, fiber length, and microfibril angle. TAPPI Press, Atlanta, GA. 96 pp.nMeGraw, R. A., G. Leaf, and D. Bremer. 1998. Longitudinal shrinkage and microfibril angle in loblolly pine, Pages 27-61 in B.A. Butterfield, ed. Microfibril Angle in Wood, University of Canterbury Press, Christchurch, NZ.nMott, L., L. Groom, and S. Shaler. 2002. Mechanical properties of individual southern pine fibers. Part II. Comparison of earlywood and latewood fibers with respect to tree height and juvenility. Wood Fiber Sci.34(2): 221-237.nPage, D. H. 1969. A theory for the tensile strength of paper. TAPPI J.50(4):674-681.nPage, D. H., and R. S. Seth. 1980. Elastic modulus of paper 2. The importance of fiber modulus, bonding, and fiber length. TAPPI J.63(6):113-116.nPage, D. H., and F. El-Hosseiny. 1983. The mechanical properties of single wood-pulp fibers. Part VI: Fibril angle and the shape of the stress-strain curve. J. Pulp Paper Sci.9(4):99-100.nPage, D. H., F. El-Hosseiny, K. Winkler, and R. Bain. 1972. The mechanical properties of single wood-pulp fibres. Part 1: A new approach. Pulp Paper Mag. Canada, 73(8):72-77.nPage, D. H., F. El-Hosseiny, K. Winkler, and A. P. S. Lancaster. 1977. Elastic modulus of single wood pulp fibers. TAPPI J.60(4):114-117.nPeter, G. F., D. M. Benton, and K. Bennett. 2003. A simple, direct method for measurement of microfibril angle in single fibres using differential interference contrast microscopy. J. Pulp Paper Sci.29(8):274-280.nSeth, R. S., R. M. Soszynski, and D. H. Page. 1986. The effect of wood species on the edgewise compressive strength of paper. TAPPI J.69(10):94-96.nUesaka, T., and C. Moss. 1997. Effects of fibre morphology on hygroexpansivity of paper—a micromechanics approach Pages 663-679 in C.F. Baker, ed. The Fundamentals of Papermaking Materials, Vol. 1. PIRA Intl. Leatherhead Surrey, UK.nWatson, A. J., and H. E. Dadswell. 1964. Influence of fibre morphology on paper properties 4. micellar spiral angle. Appita17(6):151-157.n

Downloads

Published

2007-06-05

Issue

Number 1 / January 2006

Section

Research Contributions

License

The copyright of an article published in Wood and Fiber Science is transferred to the Society of Wood Science and Technology (for U. S. Government employees: to the extent transferable), effective if and when the article is accepted for publication. This transfer grants the Society of Wood Science and Technology permission to republish all or any part of the article in any form, e.g., reprints for sale, microfiche, proceedings, etc. However, the authors reserve the following as set forth in the Copyright Law:

1. All proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights.

2. The right to grant or refuse permission to third parties to republish all or part of the article or translations thereof. In the case of whole articles, such third parties must obtain Society of Wood Science and Technology written permission as well. However, the Society may grant rights with respect to Journal issues as a whole.

3. The right to use all or part of this article in future works of their own, such as lectures, press releases, reviews, text books, or reprint books.