Patent Description:
The quality and final characteristics of a paper are directly associated with the type of cellulose fiber used in its composition. In recent years, several studies have been carried out to relate the impact of changes in the characteristics of cellulose fibers on the physical-mechanical properties of paper. Among these characteristics of the cellulose fibers, their flexibility and their number of carboxylic groups are considered important for the development of paper with physical resistance, without compromising its structure.

Besides the concern with fiber quality and the improvement of its characteristics, the paper and pulp industry faces constant challenges to solve the problems related to the high consumption of industrial water in its processes, which results in high energy consumption.

The enzymatic treatments described in the prior art were introduced in the cellulose fiber production process as a solution to promote the reduction of the consumption of the chemicals employed in the process through their action, and with that, also to improve the characteristics of the effluent generated by the process. Another result of the enzymes dosage in the process is the reduction of energy expenditure.

As for the physical strength properties of cellulose fibers, it can be stated that they are related to the amount of carboxylic groups present and to the flexibility of the fibers.

The greater the amount of carboxylic groups present in the fibers, and the more flexible these fibers, the greater physical strength, that is, traction will be imparted to the paper produced therefrom.

This is due to the increase in the area of contact between the fibers with these characteristics, which then enables a growth in the number of bonds between said fibers. In addition, the increase of carboxylic groups or ligands allows the formation of greater number of hydrogen bonds.

Some prior art documents also mention the differentiation of the physical properties of fibers and paper by the application of enzymes in the production process. However, according to the already described in the state of the art, increasing the physical strength of the pulp, via the use of enzymes, often compromises its drainage. Or even, when there is an improvement in the drainage capacity of the fiber, there is a worsening in its physical resistance.

Document <CIT> describes a process for producing tissue paper in a machine, where the paper product contains cellulose fibers. An enzymatic treatment is carried out on the cellulose fibers in order to increase the number of reactive aldehyde groups on the surface of said fibers. The treatment disclosed in said document consists of mixing an aqueous suspension of cellulose fibers with one or more hydrolytic enzymes, optionally in the presence of surfactants, other non-cellulase/hemicellulase enzymes or non-hydrolytic chemical reagents wherein the aldehyde groups are formed in the the surface of the fibers or in their proximity. The use of these hydrolytic enzymes, in particular cellulases, is responsible for the degradation of the fibrous cell wall, impairing the tensile properties of the paper.

Gonzales et al. (<NUM>) describes a process of pulp enzymatic treatment combined with the addition of nanofibrillated celluloses (NFC) which results in the improvement of the physical and mechanical properties of a pulp suspension used in papermaking. However, the results of the study showed that there was no increase in fiber drainage.

Pommier et al. (<NUM>) describes the enzymatic action on cellulose pulp as a "peeling effect" and suggests that the enzymes defibrillate the cellulose fibers by removing molecules with high affinity for water, but with a small contribution to the overall hydrogen bonding potential of the fibers. This reduction in pulp-water interactions allows a greater drainage of the pulp. However, it leads to a reduction in the strength and length of the fiber, in addition to an excessive production of fines. As a consequence, paper strength is dramatically affected.

Document <CIT> is related to a process for producing paper materials such as paper, liberboard or corrugated linerboard with improved wet strength. Document <CIT> refers to methods of presence of the bleaching pulp that combine xylanase enzymes with hydrogen peroxide, peracids, or a combination thereof, wherein the hydrogen peroxide and peracids do not destroy the activity of the xylanase.

Document <CIT> is related to a method for the bleaching of hardwood and softwood pulp without chlorine or chlorine derivatives that provides a pulp with high brightness, good physical strength and a low degree of brightness reversion.

Document <CIT> refers to methods for reducing the effects of wetlapping, drying, and hornification of pulp fibers and, consequently, increasing the pulp drainage and strength properties in the final pulp or paper product.

While performing an enzymatic treatment step in the cellulose refining process is known from the prior art, it is imperative to develop a process in which the application of the enzyme results in an increase in the surface area of the cellulose fiber without compromising the physical properties of the treated fiber, and in which the obtained cellulose pulp exhibits greater physical - traction and tear - resistance and at least the maintenance of its degree of resistance to drainage.

The present invention aims to provide cellulose pulps with improved surface properties, these properties being also observed on paper produced from said cellulose pulp.

A first embodiment of the present invention relates to a process for producing cellulose pulp from cellulosic feedstock by dosing enzymes at certain concentrations and process step.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of cellulose pulp with increased quality and applicability of said pulps, especially their physical resistance properties, at least the maintenance of their degree of resistance to drainage, through an enzymatic treatment step, concomitantly with the dosage of a carbohydrate-based polymer comprised in the production process of said cellulose pulp.

The carbohydrate-based polymer may be selected from the group consisting of: starch, carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, among others.

The enzymatic treatment comprises the use of enzyme or mixture of hydrolytic enzymes (EZ), known to one skilled in the art and commercially available, and which may be selected from the group consisting of: α-amilase,<NUM>β-amilase, glucan <NUM>,<NUM>-α-glucosidase, cellulase, endo-<NUM>,<NUM>(<NUM>)-β-glucanase, inulinase, endo-<NUM>,<NUM>-β-xylanase, oligo-<NUM>,<NUM>-glucosidase, dextranase, chitinase, polygalacturonase, lisozime, exo-α-sialidase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase. α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, α-mannosidase, β-mannosidase, β-fructofuranosidase, α,α-trehalase, β-glucuronidase, endo-<NUM>,<NUM>-β-xilanase, amilo-<NUM>,<NUM>-glucosidase, hialuronoglucosaminidase, hialuronoglucuronidase, xilan <NUM>,<NUM>-β-xilosidase, β-D-fucosidase, glucan endo-<NUM>,<NUM>-β-D-glucosidase, α-L-rhamnosidase, pululanase, GDP-glucosidase, β-L-rhamnosidase, fucoidanase, glucosilceramidase, galactosilceramidase, galactosilgalactosilglucosilceramidase, sucrose α-glucosidase, α-N-acetilgalactosaminidase, α-N-acetilglucosaminidase.

The performance of the enzyme or enzyme mixture (EZ) available in the market occurs in the surface area of the cellulose fiber, potentiating the adsorption capacity of the fiber modifying chemicals during the pulp production process.

However, the dosage of enzymes in excessive concentrations may cause them to act more deeply in the fibers, which could significantly alter their physical resistance and their degree of resistance to drainage and even degrade the walls of said fibers fibers.

The inventors have found increased physical strength and, surprisingly, at least the maintenance of the degree of drainability of the cellulose pulp obtained by the process described herein, by defining specific enzyme levels to be dosed together with the carbohydrate-based polymer, in the step after bleaching of the pulp and before drying of said pulp.

<FIG> shows the steps of the process of the present invention. The process for producing the cellulose pulp comprises the steps of:.

<FIG> shows that the dosage of <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM>/ton of enzyme causes an increase in the fiber surface area when compared with a reference sample. The reference sample is a white slurry pulp that has not been doped, that is, it did not receive a dosage of the carbohydrate-based polymer and enzyme or mixture of enzymes.

The enzymatic treatment applied under controlled conditions of the kinetic variables of the reactions involved, namely temperature, pH and time, leads to a greater efficiency of the treatment and with that, an enzyme dosage more optimized for the production process of cellulose pulp.

<FIG> shows the increased reactivity of the fiber produced by the process of the present invention. The reactivity is represented by the zeta potential.

<FIG> and <FIG> demonstrate the physical strength gains of the pulp obtained by the process described in the present invention when compared to the reference pulp. Furthermore, <FIG> proves the maintenance of the degree of resistance to drainage of the pulp of the present invention in comparison with the reference pulp.

The paper obtained from the pulp of the present invention reproduces these gains in physical resistance as shown in <FIG>.

Furthermore, since the dosage of the enzyme or commercial enzyme mixture takes place prior to the drying step of the white slurry pulp, said enzyme or enzyme mixture undergoes denaturation during said drying step, which results in a cellulose pulp (CL) without residues of enzyme or enzyme mixtures, as proved by the performance of the ELISA assay.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose pulp production process comprises the steps of:.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose pulp production process can be described as:.

The chemical pulping process, more specifically the Kraft pulping process, as already described in the state of the art, comprises treating the fibers of vegetable origin, including the following steps:.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the step (b) of bleaching a brown cellulose pulp (BC) from the pulping process of the cellulose pulp of the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of:.

In the last bleaching stage, the carbohydrate-based polymer and commercial enzyme or enzyme mixture are dosed, which are then conveyed to and through a homogenization device, which ensures the greatest contact between the products dosed and the fiber. Then, this mixture is transferred to a mixing pump where effective mixing of the additives takes places. Thereafter, the carbohydrate-based polymer-doped pulp and commercial enzyme or enzyme mixture is pumped into a reaction tower, where the mixture remains for <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, preferably for <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, at a temperature between <NUM> and <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>, and pH ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, using sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid for pH adjustment, in order to complete the reaction.

The obtained pulp is then diluted and pumped into the drying step. Then, the cellulose pulp (CL) is obtained for the paper market.

The inventors have further found that, contrary to the teachings of the state of the art, the process described herein results in a cellulose pulp (CL) with higher physical strength, that is, to tear and traction, and also with at least the maintenance degree of resistance to drainage, as shown in <FIG>.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the enzymatic treatment is carried out by the action of hydrolytic enzymes, for example, cellulases, or mixture of cellulases with other enzymes available on the market with fillers ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> grams of enzyme per ton of cellulose.

Said enzymatic treatment (E) is conducted in a step subsequent to the bleaching process of the pulp obtained by the chemical pulping process, and prior to the drying step (D) of the pulp so that it is then used in papermaking.

Preferably, the enzymatic treatment has a retention time in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> minutes, a pH in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>, a temperature in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably when the hydrolytic enzyme is a cellulase.

The fibers used in the process of the present invention may be so-called vegetable fibers, preferably short fibers, more preferably eucalyptus fibers.

The cellulose pulp of the present invention, obtained by a process including an enzymatic treatment step, concurrently dosing a carbohydrate-based polymer, surprisingly presents an increased surface area of the cellulose fiber without compromising the physical properties of the treated fiber, and also ensuring that the obtained cellulose pulp exhibits greater physical resistance - to traction and tear - and at least maintain its degree of resistance to drainage.

The following examples will better illustrate the present invention and the particular conditions and parameters described represent preferred but not limiting embodiments of the present invention.

For a Kraft pulping process, the carbohydrate-based polymer, but specifically starch, was used in a dosage of <NUM> to <NUM>/ton of cellulose pulp from short fibers. Thereafter, <NUM> to <NUM> of EZ per ton of cellulose were added, wherein the reaction conditions are as follows: temperature from <NUM> to <NUM>, pH <NUM> to <NUM>, over a period from <NUM> to <NUM> minutes. The used bleaching sequence was an ECF sequence.

For a Kraft pulping process" <NUM> to <NUM> of EZ per ton of cellulose were added from short fibers, wherein the reaction conditions are as follows: temperature from <NUM> to <NUM>, pH <NUM> to <NUM>, over a period from <NUM> to <NUM> minutes. Thereafter, a carbohydrate-based polymer, but specifically starch, was dosed at a dosage of <NUM> to <NUM>/tonne of cellulose pulp. The used bleaching sequence was an ECF sequence.

Comparative tests for evaluating the characteristics of the cellulose pulp obtained from the process of the present invention were carried out with the concomitant addition of carbohydrate-based polymer and commercially available enzyme or enzyme mixture.

In the laboratory tests, the equipment used was a cellulose bleach reactor with a capacity of <NUM> of dry fibers and total automatic control of the process conditions, which were adjusted to: temperature of <NUM>, pH of <NUM> and reaction time of <NUM> minutes. The amount of enzyme or enzyme mixture used ranged from <NUM> (Reference) to <NUM> to <NUM>/tsa (Samples A, B, C and D).

The results of the laboratory tests are described in Table <NUM>.

As can be evidenced by the above results, there was an improvement in the rates of tear and traction of the obtained pulp.

The comparative tests were followed by tests on larger scale, when the reactor having a dry pulp capacity of <NUM> and having automatic control of the process variables was used. The variables were maintained: temperature of <NUM>, pH of <NUM> and reaction time of <NUM> minutes. The amount of enzyme or enzyme mixture used was <NUM>/t.

Again, it was possible to verify that, in comparison to the reference, the pulp of the present invention showed improved physical strength without compromising its degree of resistance to drainage. The results are described in Table <NUM>.

Also, tests on an even larger scale were carried out, and also demonstrated the improvement in the physical resistance of the obtained pulp, maintaining the degree of resistance to drainage. The amount of enzyme or mixture of enzymes used was <NUM>/tsa and <NUM>/t.

The results are shown in table <NUM> below.

The data are graphically represented in <FIG>, <FIG>.

The reproducibility of the improved physical strength characteristics of the pulp of the present invention has therefore been observed from the laboratory scale to larger scales.

The capability of the pulp of the present invention was evaluated in a tissue pilot machine.

The preparation of the slurry was carried out in batch, where <NUM> tons of slurry were prepared.

After preparation, the slurry was sent for testing in a commercially-available tissue paper machine, as shown in <FIG>.

As a result, it was observed that the results of the physical strength on paper reproduced the gains in physical strength that were observed in the pulp of the present invention. Specifically, the tensile index increased over <NUM>%, as shown in <FIG>.

Claim 1:
Process for producing a cellulose pulp from cellulosic feedstock characterized by comprising the steps of:
a) treating the cellulosic feedstock through a chemical or semi-chemical pulping process to produce a brown cellulose pulp (BP);
b) bleaching the brown cellulose pulp through a bleaching sequence to obtain a white slurry pulp;
c) adding a carbohydrate-based polymer (B) to the white slurry pulp, wherein the carbohydrate-based polymer (B) is selected from the group consisting of starch, carboxymethylcellulose and guar gum, and wherein the dosage of said polymer ranges from <NUM> to <NUM>/ton of cellulose pulp;
d) adding an enzyme or enzyme mixture to the white slurry pulp with the carbohydrate-based polymer (B), wherein the addition of the enzyme (E) or enzyme mixture takes place according to the following conditions:
i. reaction temperature between <NUM> and <NUM>;
ii. reaction pH between <NUM> and <NUM>;
iii. reaction time between <NUM> and <NUM> minutes;
iv. enzyme amount between <NUM> of EZ and <NUM> of EZ per ton of cellulose;
e) conveying the white slurry pulp with the carbohydrate-based polymer (B) to and through the reaction tower before the drying machine (TMCB); and
f) drying (S) the white slurry pulp with the carbohydrate-based polymer (B) to obtain the cellulose pulp (CL).