Micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose from virgin and recycled fibers: A comparative study of its effects on the properties of hygiene tissue paper

This study aims to understand the effect of micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) on the tensile index, softness, and water absorbency of tissue paper. MNFC was produced from four different fiber sources. The results show that MNFC acts as an effective strength enhancer at the expense of a reduced water absorbency and softness. The impact of the fiber source on MNFC manufacturing cost and the trade-off with performance was also investigated. MNFCs produced from southern bleached hardwood kraft, northern bleached softwood kraft, and deinked pulp exhibited similar performance trends with the MNFC from the deinked pulp having a significantly lower cost. This suggests that MNFCs with similar degrees of fibrillation may be used interchangeably regardless of the fiber source, revealing the possibility to minimize MNFC manufacturing costs based on fiber selection. MNFC produced from bleached Eucalyptus kraft showed the lowest degree of fibrillation and the lowest strength improvements among the MNFCs evaluated.