Jeans as Bio Fiber Material for Paper Applications – Fiber Processing and Property Evaluation

Abstract

At present time paper industry sector faces increasing production costs due to increasing energy costs, implementation of stringent environmental laws, sustainable consumer demands, globalization and high competitiveness and pressure on profit margins. This laboratory research project, focused on Jeans Denim material, containing 100% cotton as alternative fiber material. The recovered Jeans Denim material was cut into flakes with an approximately size of 1.0” x 1.0” (25.4 mm x 25.4 mm) followed by laboratory refining at a speed of 1800 rpm and a plate gap of 0.5 mm. To reduce the stringing tendency of the fibers material it is suggested to screen the fiber material with a 150 mesh (105 µm) sieve after refining, followed by adjusting the final fiber material properties for handsheet making using a Valley beater type machine. The laboratory manufactured handsheets made from the recovered Jeans Denim material had a basis weight of 72.27 g/m² and a caliper of 154.80 μm and a bule color related to the blue dyed Denim fabric fibers. Short Compression Strength Index, Burst Index, Tear Index, and Zero Span was measured 0.36 kNm/g, 0.58 kPa*m³/g, 3.61 mNm³/g, and 4.36 kg/15mm respectively. Zero Span was at Tensile Index was at 62.54 Nm/g, Elongation at 2.22% and a Tensile Energy Absorption yielding 66.42 kJ/m². Applying recovered fibers from Jeans Denim fabric materials can represent as a valid fiber source for paper production but requires more research and development on laboratory and pilot scale installations to determine the full potential of the fiber material and its industrial application potential.