Cellulosic product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process of producing a cellulosic product comprising (i) providing an aqueous suspension of cellulosic fibers, (ii) adding microfibrillar polysaccharide, (iii) adding thermoplastic microspheres, (iv) dewatering the suspension and forming a cellulosic product. The invention also relates to a process of producing a single layer cellulosic product comprising (i) providing an aqueous suspension of cellulosic fibers, (ii) adding microfibrillar polysaccharide derived from softwood and/or hardwood and optionally adding thermoplastic microspheres to the suspension, (iii) dewatering the suspension and forming a cellulosic product. The invention further relates to a cellulosic product obtainable from said processes. The invention also relates to a composition comprising microfibrillar polysaccharide and thermoplastic microspheres and the use thereof.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A composition comprising microfibrillar polysaccharide and thermoplastic microspheres, wherein the weight ratio of microfibrillar polysaccharide to thermoplastic microspheres ranges from about 1:100 to about 200:1, and wherein the specific surface area, as determined by adsorption of N 2  at 177 K according to the BET method using a Micromeritics ASAP 2010 instrument, of the microfibrillar polysaccharide is from 3 to 10 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         28 . The composition according to  claim 27 , wherein the composition is aqueous. 
     
     
         29 . A cellulosic product obtained by the process comprising the steps of (i) providing an aqueous suspension of cellulosic fibers, (ii) adding microfibrillar polysaccharide, (iii) adding thermoplastic microspheres, (iv) dewatering the suspension and forming a cellulosic product, wherein the weight ratio of microfibrillar polysaccharide to thermoplastic microspheres ranges from about 1:100 to about 200:1, and wherein the specific surface area, as determined by adsorption of N 2  at 177 K according to the BET method using a Micromeritics ASAP 2010 instrument, of the microfibrillar polysaccharide is from 3 to 10 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         30 . A cellulosic product comprising microfibrillar polysaccharide and thermoplastic microspheres, wherein the weight ratio of microfibrillar polysaccharide to thermoplastic microspheres ranges from about 1:100 to about 200:1, and wherein the specific surface area, as determined by adsorption of N 2  at 177 K according to the BET method using a Micromeritics ASAP 2010 instrument, of the microfibrillar polysaccharide is from 3 to 10 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         31 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 30 , wherein the product is board or paperboard. 
     
     
         32 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 30  having a grammage ranging from about 90 to about 500 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         33 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 30 , wherein the microfibrillar polysaccharide is derived from softwood and/or hardwood. 
     
     
         34 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 30 , wherein the cellulosic product contains mechanical, recycled and/or kraft pulp. 
     
     
         35 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 30 , wherein the product contains microfibrillar polysaccharide in an amount from about 0.1 to about 50 wt % based on the weight of cellulosic product. 
     
     
         36 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 30 , wherein the product contains thermoplastic microspheres in an amount from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % based on the weight of cellulosic product. 
     
     
         37 . A single layer cellulosic product comprising microfibrillar polysaccharide derived from softwood and/or hardwood, and thermoplastic microspheres, wherein the weight ratio of microfibrillar polysaccharide to thermoplastic microspheres ranges from about 1:100 to about 200:1, and wherein the specific surface area, as determined by adsorption of N 2  at 177 K according to the BET method using a Micromeritics ASAP 2010 instrument, of the microfibrillar polysaccharide is from 3 to 10 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         38 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 37 , wherein the product is board or paperboard. 
     
     
         39 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 37  having a grammage ranging from about 90 to about 500 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         40 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 37 , wherein the cellulosic product contains mechanical, recycled and/or kraft pulp. 
     
     
         41 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 37 , wherein the product contains microfibrillar polysaccharide in an amount from about 0.1 to about 50 wt % based on the weight of cellulosic product. 
     
     
         42 . The cellulosic product according to  claim 37 , wherein the product contains thermoplastic microspheres in an amount from about 0.01 to about 10 wt % based on the weight of cellulosic product. 
     
     
         43 . A method for producing a liquid packaging board, folding box board, or liner by (i) providing an aqueous suspension of cellulosic fibers, (ii) adding microfibrillar polysaccharide, (iii) adding thermoplastic microspheres, (iv) dewatering the suspension and forming a cellulosic product, wherein the weight ratio of microfibrillar polysaccharide to thermoplastic microspheres ranges from about 1:100 to about 200:1, and wherein the final specific surface area, as determined by adsorption of N 2  at 177 K according to the BET method using a Micromeritics ASAP 2010 instrument, of the microfibrillar polysaccharide is from 3 to 10 m 2 /g.