Tailored hemicellulose in non-wood fibers for tissue products

Abstract

A tissue sheet includes softwood fibers and treated non-wood fibers from plants in the Poaceae family, wherein the in treated non-wood fibers have less than 15 percent hemicellulose. Also, a tissue sheet consists essentially of softwood fibers and treated non-wood fibers, wherein the treated non-wood fibers have less than 15 percent hemicellulose. Customizing the tensile index and Canadian standard freeness (CSF) of fibers in a tissue sheet includes treating non-wood fibers by removing a portion of hemicellulose from the non-wood fibers; forming a tissue sheet comprising softwood fibers and the treated non-wood fibers; and adjusting the portion of hemicellulose removed from the non-wood fibers to achieve a desired the tensile index and Canadian standard freeness (CSF) of the treated non-wood fibers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue sheet comprising:
 softwood fibers; and   treated non-wood fibers from plants in the Poaceae family, wherein the treated non-wood fibers have less than 15 percent hemicellulose.   
     
     
         2 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the non-wood fibers are selected from the group consisting of wheat, corn, miscanthus, bamboo, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising eucalyptus fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising hardwood fiber. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , comprising two outer layers and at least one inner layer. 
     
     
         6 . The tissue sheet of  claim 5 , wherein an outer layer comprises hardwood fibers and non-wood fibers and the at least one inner layer comprises softwood fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue sheet of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one inner layer comprises hardwood fibers and non-wood fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The tissue sheet of  claim 5 , wherein the two outer layers comprise hardwood fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the treated non-wood fibers have at least 50 percent less hemicellulose than the same non-wood fibers without treatment. 
     
     
         10 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the treated non-wood fibers have at least 70 percent less hemicellulose than the same non-wood fibers without treatment. 
     
     
         11 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue sheet is softer and more durable than a tissue sheet comprising softwood fiber and eucalyptus fiber in the place of the treated non-wood fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The tissue sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the treated non-wood fiber has a higher CSF and a lower WRV than eucalyptus fiber. 
     
     
         13 . A tissue sheet consisting essentially of softwood fibers and treated non-wood fibers, wherein the treated non-wood fibers have less than 15 percent hemicellulose. 
     
     
         14 . The tissue sheet of  claim 13 , wherein the treated non-wood fibers have at least 30 percent less hemicellulose than the same non-wood fibers without treatment. 
     
     
         15 . The tissue sheet of  claim 13 , wherein the treated non-wood fibers have at least 50 percent less hemicellulose than the same non-wood fibers without treatment. 
     
     
         16 . A method for customizing the tensile index and Canadian standard freeness (CSF) of fibers in a tissue sheet, the method comprising:
 treating non-wood fibers by removing a portion of hemicellulose from the non-wood fibers;   forming a tissue sheet comprising softwood fibers and the treated non-wood fibers; and   adjusting the portion of hemicellulose removed from the non-wood fibers to achieve a desired the tensile index and Canadian standard freeness (CSF) of the treated non-wood fibers.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the tissue sheet further comprising eucalyptus fiber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the tissue sheet further comprising hardwood fiber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the non-wood fibers are selected from plants in the Poaceae family including wheat, corn, miscanthus, and bamboo. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treated non-wood fibers have less than 15 percent hemicellulose.