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EP-4735687-A1 - A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A FIBER BASED ARTICLE

EP4735687A1EP 4735687 A1EP4735687 A1EP 4735687A1EP-4735687-A1

Abstract

There is provided a method for producing a moulded fiber based article. There is also provided a moulded fiber based article.

Inventors

  • LAINE, Jaana
  • KVIST, Markus
  • OJANEN, MARI
  • ROBERTSÉN, Leif
  • PUTTONEN, SAMI
  • VALDESUEIRO, David

Assignees

  • Kemira OYJ

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240523

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . A method for producing a moulded fiber based article, the method comprising providing a fibre stock comprising cellulosic fibers; introducing to the fiber stock (i) cationic alpha-glucan; or (ii) complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan; and moulding the fiber stock.
  2. 2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in option (i) the cationic alpha-glucan is cationic 1 ,3-alpha-glucan.
  3. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method further comprises introducing alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) to the fiber stock.
  4. 4. The method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the cationic alpha-glucan of option (i) and AKD are introduced as a mixture to the fiber stock, or the complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan of option (ii) and AKD are introduced as a mixture to the fiber stock.
  5. 5. The method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the cationic alpha-glucan of option (i) and AKD are introduced separately but simultaneously to the fiber stock, or the complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan of option (ii) and AKD are introduced separately but simultaneously to the fiber stock.
  6. 6. The method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the cationic alpha-glucan of option (i) and AKD are introduced sequentially to the fiber stock, or the complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan of option (ii) and AKD are introduced sequentially to the fiber stock.
  7. 7. The method according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein dry amount of the cationic alphaglucan of option (i) is 25-75 kg, such as 25-40 kg, 45-55 kg or 60-75 kg per ton of dry fiber stock.
  8. 8. The method according to any of claims 1-7, wherein dry amount of the complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan of option (ii) 25-75 kg, such as 25-40 kg, 45-55 kg or 60-75 kg per ton of dry fiber stock.
  9. 9. The method according to any of claims 1-8, wherein dry amount of the alkyl ketene dimer is 0.1-40 kg, preferably 1-10 kg, more preferably 1.5-8 kg, even more preferably 1.5- 6 kg, yet even further preferably 1.5-4.5 kg per ton of dry fiber stock.
  10. 10. The method according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the fiber stock is formed to a sheet.
  11. 11. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the sheet is formed to a three- dimensional, 3D, article.
  12. 12. The method according to any of claims 1-11 , wherein the fiber stock is moulded to a three-dimensional, 3D, article.
  13. 13. The method according to any of claims 1-12, wherein the fiber stock is wet moulded and the wet moulded fiber stock is moulded to a three-dimensional, 3D, article
  14. 14. The method according to any of claims 1-13, wherein the moulding comprises wet forming, wet moulding, vacuum forming, vacuum moulding, extrusion forming, extrusion moulding, thermoforming, dry moulding, hot pressing, hot press drying, hot moulding, heat pressing, heat moulding, thermomoulding or a combination thereof.
  15. 15. The method according to any one of claims 1-14, wherein pigment material is introduced to the fiber stock.
  16. 16. The method according to any of claims 1-15, wherein sizing chemical, fixative, drainage aid, wet strength agent or a mixture thereof is introduced to the fiber stock
  17. 17. A moulded fiber based article, wherein the moulded fiber based article comprises (i) cationic alpha-glucan, or (ii) complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan, and optionally alkyl ketene dimer, or wherein the moulded fiber based article is produced with the method according to any of claims 1-16.
  18. 18. The moulded fiber based article according to claim 17, wherein the moulded fiber based article comprises food packages, food service items drink packages, goods packages, preferably oven proof trays, microwave proof trays, clamshell boxes, other food boxes, soup cups, fresh meat and poultry trays, plates or cup lids.
  19. 19. Use of cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alphaglucan, and in addition optionally alkylene ketene dimer for improving grease and oil resistance of a moulded fiber based article.

Description

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A FIBER BASED ARTICLE TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to a method for producing a fiber based article. The disclosure relates particularly, though not exclusively, to a method for producing a fiber based article by moulding a fiber stock. BACKGROUND This section illustrates useful background information without admission of any technique described herein representative of the state of the art. Pollution caused by single use plastic containers and packaging materials is epidemic, scarring the global landscape and threatening delicate ecosystems and the life forms that inhabit them. Single use containers migrate along waterways to the oceans in the form of Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging, to-go containers, bottles, thin film bags and photo-degraded plastic pellets. Sustainable solutions for reducing plastic pollution are gaining momentum. However, continuing adoption requires that these solutions not only be good for the environment, but also competitive with plastics from both a performance and a cost standpoint. By way of brief background, molded paper pulp (molded fiber) has been used since the 1930’s to make containers, trays and other packages, but experienced a decline in the 1970s after the introduction of fossil based plastic foam packaging. Paper pulp can be produced from old newsprint, corrugated boxes and other plant fibers. Today, molded pulp packaging is widely used for electronics, household goods, automotive parts and medical products, and as an edge/corner protector or pallet tray for shipping electronic and other fragile components. Cellulose fiber-based packaging products are biodegradable, compostable and, unlike fossil based plastics, do not migrate into the ocean. However, presently known fiber technologies are not well suited for use with meat and poultry, prepared food, produce, microwavable food, or as lids for beverage containers such as hot coffee. In particular, selectively integrating one or more oil, water, vapor, and/or oxygen barriers into the slurry, and/or selectively applying one or more of the barrier layers to all or a portion of the surface of the finished packaging product, can be cumbersome, time consuming, and expensive. Depending on molded pulp application, oil, grease, water, water vapor, oxygen and/or other gas or liquid barrier properties are needed in different container types. Use of suitable slurry chemicals can improve process efficiency, mechanical properties, barrier properties and/or surface coatability and therefore, make production of molded pulp products more competitive against products made from planar board. SUMMARY In a first aspect the present invention provides a method for producing a moulded fiber based article, the method comprising providing a fibre stock comprising cellulosic fibers; introducing to the fiber stock (i) cationic alpha-glucan; or (ii) complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan; and moulding the fiber stock. In a second aspect the present invention provides a moulded fiber based article, wherein the moulded fiber based article comprises (i) cationic alpha-glucan, or (ii) complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan, and optionally alkyl ketene dimer, or wherein the moulded fiber based article is produced with the method according to the present invention. In a third aspect the present invention provides a use of cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan, and in addition optionally alkylene ketene dimer for improving grease and oil resistance of a moulded fiber based article. It has now been surprisingly found that moulded, such as thermoformed, fiber based articles comprising cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alphaglucan has increased oil resistance. It was surprisingly found that the cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan acts as oil barrier in the fiber based article. It is also believed that the cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alphaglucan and anionic alpha-glucan acts also as a grease barrier in the fiber based article. It has been found that the cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan gives oil resistance, i.e. penetration time and/or uptake of a moulded fiber based article compared to a moulded fiber based article without the cationic alpha- glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alpha-glucan. It is also believed that grease resistance is obtained. It has been also surprisingly found that moulded, such as thermoformed, fiber based articles comprising cationic alpha-glucan or complex of cationic alpha-glucan and anionic alphaglucan, and alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) has even further increased oil resistance. Without bounding to any theory it is also believed that grease resistance is increased. Without bounding to any theory, it is believed that t