Method
OwnerFanya ISMAIL, Sheila FATTAHinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method comprising applying a wetting agent to air-laid pulp to form an intermediate pulp and hot-pressing the intermediate pulp to form a moulded product. The pulp may be formed from a fibrous raw material. The wetting agent may include a functional additive such as a sol. A sol may include a solvent, an alkoxide, and optionally a catalyst. The air-laid pulp, intermediate pulp, and/or moulded product may be free or substantially free of thermoplastic polymers and/or hydrocarbon-based plastics. The moulded product may be a fibre-based bubble wrap. The fibre-based bubble wrap may be formed from reel-to-reel processes.
Claims43
A method comprising:
- applying a wetting agent to air-laid pulp to form an intermediate pulp;
- and hot-pressing the intermediate pulp to form a moulded product.
The method according to any preceding claim, the method further comprising additionally hot- and/or cold-pressing the air-laid pulp, intermediate pulp, or moulded product.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the moulded product is a water resistant or water impermeable moulded product.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the wetting agent is applied to the air-laid pulp by brushing, spraying, spray drying, rolling, dipping, dropping, injecting, transferring, submersion, immersion, mixing, spreading, blading, padding, or any combination thereof.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein hot-pressing the intermediate pulp is carried out at a temperature greater than 100° C.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein hot-pressing the intermediate pulp comprises:
- pressing the intermediate pulp into at least one mould, pressing the intermediate pulp between at least one plate and at least one other surface, or any combination thereof.
The method according to any preceding claim, the method further comprising applying heat to dry the air-laid pulp, intermediate pulp, or product.
The method according to any preceding claim, the method further comprising drying the air-laid pulp, intermediate pulp, or product without the direct application of energy.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the wetting agent comprises water.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the wetting agent comprises a sol.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the wetting agent comprises one or more functional additives.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein hot-pressing the intermediate pulp comprises applying a pressure of at least 1000 kg/m2 to at least a part of the intermediate pulp.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein hot-pressing the intermediate pulp comprises applying pressure to a portion of the intermediate pulp for a time of from less than or equal to 1 second to up to 10 seconds, optionally wherein pressure is applied for less than or equal to 5 seconds.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the moulded product is a fibre-based moulded bubble wrap.
The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the moulded product is a food or beverage packaging product.
A fluid resistant or fluid impermeable fibre-based packaging material comprising air-laid pulp comprising a moulded product formed by the method of any preceding claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.