Soft and strong engineered tissue

Abstract

The disclosure provides tissue webs, and products incorporating the same, where the webs comprise two or more layers and have refined fibers selectively incorporated into one of the layers to provide a sheet that is both durable and soft. More specifically the disclosure provides soft and durable tissue webs comprising at least about 1 percent refined fiber by weight of the web incorporated into the air contacting layer of a multi-layered tissue web.

1 . A layered tissue web comprising a first air contacting layer and a second fabric contacting layer, wherein the first air contacting layer comprises from about 1 to about 40 weight percent refined fibers by weight of the web and the second fabric contacting layer is substantially free from refined fibers. 
     
     
         2 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  having a stiffness index of less than about 10.0. 
     
     
         3 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  having an MD Durability Index of greater than about 10.0. 
     
     
         4 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  having a basis weight greater than about 15 gsm, a geometric mean tensile index of at least about 30 and a geometric mean slope of less than about 10.0 kgf. 
     
     
         5 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  having a geometric mean tensile from about 700 to about 1000 g/3″ and a geometric mean slope from about 6.0 to about 9.0 kgf. 
     
     
         6 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  having a basis weight from about 15 to about 45 gsm. 
     
     
         7 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  wherein the first air contacting layer comprises from about 5 to about 30 weight percent refined fibers by weight of the web. 
     
     
         8 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  the refined fibers comprise refined hardwood pulp fibers selected from the group consisting of eucalyptus, maple, birch, and aspen pulps, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The layered tissue web of  claim 1  wherein the refined fibers comprise refined nonwood fibers selected from the group consisting of bamboo, cotton, straws, bagasse and kenaf. 
     
     
         10 . A layered tissue web comprising an air contacting layer consisting essentially of about 10 to about 40 percent refined eucalyptus hardwood kraft fibers (EHWK) by weight of the web, a middle layer comprising conventional papermaking fibers and a fabric contacting layer comprising conventional papermaking fibers, wherein the fabric contacting layer is substantially free of refined EHWK fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  wherein the middle layer is substantially free of refined EHWK fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  wherein the fabric contacting layer comprises hardwood fibers and the middle layer comprises softwood fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  having a basis weight greater than about 15 gsm, a geometric mean tensile index of at least about 30 and a geometric mean slope of less than about 10.0 kg. 
     
     
         14 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  having a stiffness index of less than about 10.0. 
     
     
         15 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  having an MD Durability Index of greater than about 10.0. 
     
     
         16 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  having a basis weight from about 15 to about 45 gsm, a geometric mean strength from about 700 to about 1000 g/3″ and a geometric mean slope from about 6.0 to about 9.0 kgf. 
     
     
         17 . The layered tissue web of  claim 10  wherein the first air contacting layer comprises from about 5 to about 30 weight percent refined fibers by weight of the web. 
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a layered tissue web comprising the steps of:
 a. refining a first fiber;   b. dispersing the refined first fiber to form a first fiber slurry;   c. dispersing an unrefined conventional papermaking fiber to form a second fiber slurry;   d. depositing the first and second fiber slurries onto a forming fabric such that the second fiber slurry contacts the forming fabric and the first fiber slurry contacts the air to form a wet web;   e. dewatering the wet web to a consistency of from about 20 to about 30 percent; and   f. drying the wet web to a consistency of greater than about 90 percent thereby forming a dried tissue web.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the first fiber comprises eucalyptus hardwood kraft fibers (EHWK) and the first fiber is refined to a freeness from about 300 to about 500 mL. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the first fiber comprises bamboo fibers and the first fiber is refined to a freeness from about 300 to about 600 mL.