Fluff pulp
Encyclopedia
Fluff pulp is a type of chemical pulp made from long fibre softwood
s. Important parameters for fluff pulp are bulk and water absorbency.
The most common raw material source for fluff pulps are southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK
) from slash pine
. SBSK from other species and NBSK
are also used to make fluff pulp.
Thicker fibres are preferred to improve the bulk. The pulp may be impregnated with debonders before drying to ease defibration. Fluff pulp is normally made rolls (reels) on a drying machine (a simplified Fourdrinier machine
). The worldwide production of fluff pulps amounts to about 3.5 million tons.
products such as diaper
s, feminine hygiene
products, air-laid absorbent towelling, as such or with superabsorbents and/or synthetical fibres. More than 80% of the pulps are used in baby diapers.
The most demanding application of fluff pulps is in air-laid products
, used in serving utensils, various towel applications in homes, in the industry and in hospitals. Fluff pulp for air-laid products are defibrized in a hammermill
. Defibration is the process of freeing the fibres from each other before entering the papermachine. Important parameters for dry defibration are shredding energy and knot
content.
Softwood
The term softwood is used to describe wood from trees that are known as gymnosperms.Conifers are an example. It may also be used to describe trees, which tend to be evergreen, notable exceptions being bald cypress and the larches....
s. Important parameters for fluff pulp are bulk and water absorbency.
Manufacture
More than 90% of the fluff pulps are fully bleached chemical softwood pulps, of which more than 90% are kraft pulps.The most common raw material source for fluff pulps are southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK
SBSK (pulp)
SBSK is an acronym for Southern bleached softwood kraft. It this is a wood pulp mainly produced in the southern USA. The main raw materials are slash pine, longleaf pine, shortleaf pine, loblolly pine and virginia pine.-Properties:...
) from slash pine
Slash Pine
Pinus elliottii, commonly known as the Slash Pine, is a pine native to the southeastern United States, from southern South Carolina west to southeastern Louisiana, and south to the Florida Keys....
. SBSK from other species and NBSK
NBSK
NBSK is an acronym for Northern bleached softwood kraft, the paper industry's benchmark grade of pulp. Market NBSK is produced mainly in Canada and the Nordic countries. Some NBSK is also produced in north-western USA and in Russia. NBSK futures are traded on the Chicago Mercantile...
are also used to make fluff pulp.
Thicker fibres are preferred to improve the bulk. The pulp may be impregnated with debonders before drying to ease defibration. Fluff pulp is normally made rolls (reels) on a drying machine (a simplified Fourdrinier machine
Fourdrinier machine
This article contains a glossary section at the end.Most modern papermaking machines are based on the principles of the Fourdrinier Machine. It has been used in some variation since its inception...
). The worldwide production of fluff pulps amounts to about 3.5 million tons.
Applications
Fluff pulps are used as raw material in the absorbent core of personal carePersonal care
Personal care or toiletries is the industry which manufactures consumer products used for beautification and in personal hygiene.-Subsectors:Subsectors of personal care include cosmetics and feminine hygiene....
products such as diaper
Diaper
A nappy or a diaper is a kind of pant that allows one to defecate or urinate on oneself discreetly. When diapers become soiled, they require changing; this process is often performed by a second person such as a parent or caregiver...
s, feminine hygiene
Feminine hygiene
Feminine hygiene is a general euphemism used to describe personal care products used by women during menstruation, vaginal discharge, and other bodily functions related to the vulva...
products, air-laid absorbent towelling, as such or with superabsorbents and/or synthetical fibres. More than 80% of the pulps are used in baby diapers.
The most demanding application of fluff pulps is in air-laid products
Air-laid paper
Air-laid paper is a textile-like material categorized as a nonwoven fabric made from fluff pulp.-Properties:Compared with normal wet-laid paper and tissue, air-laid paper is very bulky, porous and soft...
, used in serving utensils, various towel applications in homes, in the industry and in hospitals. Fluff pulp for air-laid products are defibrized in a hammermill
Hammermill
A hammermill is a machine whose purpose is to shred or crush aggregate material into smaller pieces. These machines have many sorts of applications in many industries, including:*Ethanol plants...
. Defibration is the process of freeing the fibres from each other before entering the papermachine. Important parameters for dry defibration are shredding energy and knot
Knot (papermaking)
Knots are unwanted, lage, dark aggregates of wood fibres when making chemical pulp.Knots are incompletely cooked wood chips coming out of the digester. Their origin is often dense parts of branches, such as compression wood or timber knots – hence the name. Knots can also stem from...
content.