Patent ID: 8216425

Claim:
A method of making absorbent cellulosic sheet comprising: (a) preparing an aqueous furnish with a fiber mixture including from about 99 percent to about 70 percent of a pulp-derived papermaking fiber, the fiber mixture also including from about 1 to 30 percent by weight of fibrillated regenerated cellulose microfibers disintegrated into shorter fibrils having a CSF value of less than 175 mL and a number average diameter of up to about 4 microns, wherein the regenerated cellulose is prepared from a cellulosic dope of dissolved cellulose comprising a solvent selected from ionic liquids and tertiary amine N-oxides, (b) depositing the aqueous furnish on a foraminous support to form a nascent web and at least partially dewatering the nascent web; and (c) drying the web to provide absorbent sheet.