The MFC wet lamination pilot

Coating cellulose microfibrils onto paper and cardboard for barrier and recyclable packaging

Developing materials for the packaging and speciality paper sectors
Applying an MFC film to the surface of paper and board
Improving the barrier properties of paper and board whilst maintaining their recyclability

The little story of the pilot

What at first glance appeared to be a failed laboratory experiment, an unexpected result, led to the concept of wet lamination being born in 2014.Since then, the teams at CTP have worked tirelessly to validate the concept, file a patent, secure funding, design and build a dedicated laboratory machine, and then devise and sketch out a pilot project. This pilot, one of a kind and custom-built, arrived at the CTP in late 2019.
The concept involves applying a layer of MFC to the surface of paper or board to improve its barrier properties against grease, oxygen and contaminants. This process is an original approach based on conventional paper-making equipment. Patented several years ago, it has recently benefited from major technical advances, bringing it closer to industrial conditions.
The application of MFC at pilot scale is dedicated to validating the concept in continuous operation and to the production of sample reels.

Description of the pilot

MFC wet lamination technology is based on three stages:

Production of a wet MFC film using a conventional papermaking filtration process
- Using a double-jet headbox, the MFC can be filtered with excellent retention onto a thin layer of fibres
Transfer of the wet mat onto a dry paper/cardboard substrate
Drying on drying cylinders

The pilot plant consists of conventional papermaking equipment: a pulper to disperse the MFC suspension, a pulper to disperse the fibre suspension, a double-jet headbox, a forming wire with suction boxes, a transfer roll and three drying cylinders.