Cellulose-based gas barrier film

A method for manufacturing a cellulose-based gas barrier film, said method comprising:

• a) providing a highly refined cellulose pulp (HRC) suspension comprising at least 50 wt % of HRC based on a dry weight of the HRC suspension, wherein said HRC has a Schopper-Riegler (SR) number in a range of 80-100 as determined by standard ISO 5267-1;
• b) subjecting the HRC suspension to fractionation to obtain a fines-depleted highly refined cellulose pulp (FD-HRC) suspension;
• and
• c) forming a web of the FD-HRC suspension and dewatering the web to obtain a cellulose-based gas barrier film;
• wherein said FD-HRC has a Schopper-Riegler (SR) number in a range of 80-100 as determined by standard ISO 5267-1,
• wherein said FD-HRC has an amount of long (>0.2 mm) fibers of at least 8 million fibers per gram (based on a dry weight of the FD-HRC), and
• wherein said FD-HRC has a Fines A value below 46%, wherein the Fines A value is determined using an FS5 optical fiber analyzer.