The MFC wet lamination pilot

Paper and board covered with microfibrillated cellulose for barrier packaging

Develop paper and board laminated with MFC for the packaging and specialty papers sectors
Assemble a paper/board with a film of microfibrillated cellulose, without using glue
Improve the stiffness, surface state and barrier properties of papers and boards while maintaining their recyclability and biodegradability
Produce reels for making demonstrators

The little story of the pilot

At first sight a failed laboratory experiment with an unexpected result, the concept of wet lamination was devised in 2014. Since then, the CTP’s teams have worked ceaselessly to validate the concept, file a patent, find funding, imagine and build a dedicated laboratory machine and then draw up the designs for a pilot. This latest addition, the only one of its kind and custom-built, arrived at the CTP in late 2019.
The concept involves combining a layer of MFC with a paper/board, using a glueless method, in order to improve its properties. This is an original approach and a major asset in the search for completely recyclable and biodegradable cellulose packaging materials.
This pilot will be dedicated to validating the concept during continuous operation, producing sample reels, and designing a high-capacity pilot machine.

Description of the pilot

MFC wet lamination technology involves three stages:

Production of a wet film of MFC using a conventional papermaking filtration process
Detachment of the film and replication on a dry paper/board substrate
Drying using drying cylinders

The pilot consists of conventional papermaking equipment: a pulper to disperse the MFC suspension, a head-box, a forming wire with suction boxes, a replication roller and three drying cylinders.