Methods of Modifying Pulp Comprising Cellulase Enzymes and Products Thereof

Abstract

Provided are methods for preparing an enzyme-modified fiber pulp, wherein the modified pulp has improved properties for papermaking processes. The modified pulp and methods of its use are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method of modifying papermaking pulp comprising contacting pulp comprising papermaking fibers with
 (a) a cellulolytic enzyme under conditions to induce fiber interior damage, and   (b) a fiber length reduction enhancement agent to produce a modified pulp having:
 (i) a reduction of papermaking fiber length of 5% to 96% after going through a refiner or after by-passing a refiner, and 
 (ii) a pulp freeness level of from about 200 Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) to about 700 CSF. 
   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the modified pulp is a refined pulp. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein contacting the pulp with the fiber length reduction enhancement agent occurs preferably after contacting the pulp with the enzyme. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the fiber length reduction enhancement agent is selected from the group consisting of: a hydrolyzed polymer or copolymer of vinylformamide with a degree of hydrolysis greater than 70%; a copolymer of acrylamide and acryloxyethyl-trimethylammonium chloride; a copolymer of acrylamide and diallyldimethylammonium chloride; a free glyoxal; and any mixture of two of more thereof. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase or a cellulase-functioning hemicellulase enzyme. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase selected from the group consisting of: a cellulase obtained or derived from  Chrysosporium lucknowense/Myceliophthora thermophilia , a cellulase obtained or derived from  Humicola insolens , a cellulase obtained or derived from  Aspergillus , a cellulase obtained or derived from  Trichoderma , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the pulp comprises papermaking fiber selected from the group consisting of: a softwood fiber, a hardwood fiber, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the fiber length reduction enhancement agent is selected from the group consisting of: a hydrolyzed polymer or copolymer of vinylformamide with a degree of hydrolysis greater than 70% and a copolymer of acrylamide and acryloxyethyl-trimethylammonium chloride; and the reduction of papermaking fiber length of the modified pulp is from about 5% to about 20% and the pulp freeness level of the modified pulp is from about 300 CSF to about 650 CSF. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the papermaking fiber is a wood fiber and the fiber length reduction enhancement agent is selected from the group consisting of: a hydrolyzed polymer or copolymer of vinylformamide with a degree of hydrolysis greater than 70% and a copolymer of acrylamide and acryloxyethyl-trimethylammonium chloride; and is present at a dosage of from 0.5 kilogram per ton pulp (kg/ton pulp) to about 29 kg/ton pulp, wherein the pulp freeness level of the modified pulp is from about 350 CSF to about 650 CSF. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the fiber length reduction enhancement agent is selected from the group consisting of: a hydrolyzed polymer or copolymer of vinylformamide with a degree of hydrolysis greater than 70% and a copolymer of acrylamide and acryloxyethyl-trimethylammonium chloride; and is present at a dosage of from 0.5 kilogram agent per ton pulp (kg/ton pulp) to about 29 kg/ton pulp, and the reduction of papermaking fiber length of the modified pulp is from about 5% to about 20% and the pulp freeness level of the modified pulp is from about 300 CSF to about 650 CSF. 
     
     
         44 . An enzyme-modified fiber pulp according to  claim 34 . 
     
     
         45 . A method of modifying pulp fiber comprising contacting pulp comprising papermaking fibers with a thermostable or hyperthermostable cellulolytic enzyme at a temperature from about 70° C. to about 125° C., wherein the cellulase enzyme is substantially inactive at a temperature from about 35° C. to about 55° C. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the refining energy of the pulp or fibrous material is reduced by at least 10%. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the modified pulp has a hemicellulose content that is reduced by at least 0.2 wt. % compared to the hemicellulose content of a pulp made without contacting with the thermostable or hyperthermostable cellulolytic enzyme. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase, a cellulase-functioning hemicellulase enzyme, or a cellulase containing concomitant hemicellulase enzyme functions such as xylanases, mannanases, glucanases, and beta-glucanases. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the contacting step further comprising a thermostable or hyperthermostable enzyme selected from the group consisting of: a hemicellulase, a mannanase, a xylanase, a pectinase, a laccase, a lignin peroxidase, a manganese peroxidase, and an oxidoreductase. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the pulp comprises papermaking fiber selected from the group consisting of: a softwood fiber, a hardwood fiber, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the enzyme contacting step further comprises an intracrystalline lignocellulosic agent selected from the group consisting of an ionic liquid, an N-alkylated urea, an N-alkylated lactam, an N-alkylated amide, a polyol ether, a polyol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the pulp comprises a kraft pulp, a sulfite pulp, a mechanical pulp, a semi-chemical pulp, a semi-mechanical pulp, a chemi-mechanical pulp, a fluff pulp, a tissue pulp, a dissolving pulp, a recycled pulp, a biorefinery pulp, or a deinked pulp. 
     
     
         54 . An enzyme-modified fiber pulp according to  claim 45 . 
     
     
         55 . A method of modifying papermaking pulp comprising:
 (1) contacting pulp comprising softwood fibers having a fiber length of about 2.1 mm to about 2.8 mm, as measured by FQA length-weighted fiber average length, with a cellulolytic enzyme at a temperature of about 35° C. to about 125° C.,   (2) refining the modified pulp,   
       to produce a modified pulp having:
 (i) a fiber length of about 0.6 mm to about 1.7 mm, and 
 (ii) a pulp freeness level of from about 400 Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) to about 700 CSF. 
 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the contacting step is carried out at a temperature of about 35° C. to about 125° C. for about 30 minutes to about 10 hours. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the contacting step is carried out at a temperature of about 35° C. to about 65° C. and at an enzyme dosage of from about 0.2 kilogram enzyme per ton of pulp (kg/T) to about 20 kg/T. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase selected from the group consisting of: a cellulase obtained or derived from  Chrysosporium lucknowense/Myceliophthora thermophilia , a cellulase obtained or derived from  Humicola insolens , a cellulase obtained or derived from  Aspergillus , a cellulase obtained or derived from  Trichoderma , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the contacting step is carried out at a temperature of about 66° C. to about 125° C. and at an enzyme dosage of from about 0.2 kilogram enzyme per ton of pulp (kg/T) to about 20 kg/T. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase or a cellulase-functioning hemicellulase enzyme. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the cellulolytic enzyme is a cellulase selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising contacting the pulp with a fiber length reduction enhancement agent. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein contacting the pulp with the fiber length reduction enhancement agent contact occurs preferably after contacting the pulp with the enzyme. 
     
     
         64 . An enzyme-modified softwood fiber pulp having
 (i) a fiber length of about 0.6 mm to about 1.7 mm, and   (ii) a pulp freeness level of from about 400 Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) to about 700 CSF.   
     
     
         65 . A paper web or pulp product comprising a modified pulp according to  claim 64 . 
     
     
         66 . The paper web or pulp product of  claim 65 , wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of: printing writing papers, packaging papers, paper boards, personal care and hygiene products, paper tissues, paper towels, paper napkins, paper wipes, paper plates, paper cups, paper containers, deinked papers, recycled papers, microcrystalline cellulose, microfibrillated cellulose, nanofibrillated cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose, dissolving pulp, and base papers for polymer impregnation or for composites. 
     
     
         67 . A paper web or pulp product comprising a modified pulp according to  claim 44 . 
     
     
         68 . A paper web or pulp product comprising a modified pulp according to  claim 54 .