Journal of Korea TAPPI ISSN:0253-3200(Print) 펄프종이기술

The physical and chemical properties of recycled fibers from mixed waste paper are more and more deteriorated because of unknown history of recycling times. In order to improve the mechanical properties of liner paper, the recycled fibers from wasted cotton clothes were used in papermaking process, and their applicabilities were evaluated in several points of fiber modification. Thus, two kinds of fiberizing methods from waste cotton clothes were considered by using rotary sandpaper and grinder mill. Finally, the rotary sandpaper method was relatively desirable in preserving longer fiber length and fibrillated fiber surface. The recycled cotton fibers by swelling treatment with NaOH and bleaching with reductive chemicals were mixed with OCC fibers, and the handsheets were prepared to basis weight of 80 g/m² and evaluated the mechanical properties of paper. The fibrous properties showed outstanding results in freeness and WRV improvements by alkali treatment and high brightness by reductive bleaching treatment. The physical and mechanical properties of sheet by mixing OCC fibers and recycled cotton fibers were also highly improved in tensile, burst strength and specially folding resistance.