The improvement of recycled newsprint properties by in-situ CaCO3 loading

In-situ CaCO3 loading of old newspaper (ONP) fiber furnish was studied as a method to improve the properties of recycled newsprint paper. The effects of in-situ loading on the morphological and physical properties of ONP furnish were examined comparatively with conventional loading methods (addition of ground or precipitated CaCO3, without and with preflocculation treatment). The effective residual ink content (ERIC) and macro sticky content began to decrease as soon as the in-situ CaCO3 formation started by the injection of carbon dioxide to the reaction tank, where the ONP furnish and calcium oxide mixture was agitated in high shear. When the reaction finished at pH 7, there were no more decreases of ERIC value and sticky content. Improvement of first pass retention and brightness was significant for the in-situ CaCO3 loading method. The decrease in breaking length with the addition of CaCO3 in the in-situ formation method was equivalent to or slightly lower than that of the CaCO3 pre-flocculation method, which is a method well known to give higher strength properties. Optical images from the FlowCAM® dynamic imaging particle analyzer showed strongly attached organic (fines) and inorganic (CaCO3) materials in the in-situ CaCO3 loading method.