Eastman, a global speciality chemical company, has made Eastman Cyphrex microfibers for making high-performing, high-strength synthetic nonwovens.

Paper, pulp, and nonwoven product developers can achieve performance without any of the final product trade-offs that typically come with using a combination of synthetic and cellulosic fibres. Due to their unique geometry and composition, these microfibers behave differently than existing synthetic fibres, as they process very much like cellulose fibres.

Eastman Cyphrex flat polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microfibers process well on inclined wire, Rotoformer and Fourdrinier machines. These microfibers can be run at standard consistency (1.0 per cent to 3.2 per cent) on the wet end, disperse easily with minimal sheer, and can blend with cellulose to improve strength and formation of paper products.

The microfibers can be easily run as 100 per cent of the fibre furnish on conventional papermaking machinery and can be processed very much like cellulose on flat wire machines, according to a press release.

Cyphrex microfibers improve strength, formation, and permeability of high-strength paper products, without requiring significant processing compromises. Eastman microfibers provide excellent wet strength, can be run at standard consistency on the wet end, and provide high dry strength without the use of a wet strength agent or bonding agent.

Jon Woods, general manager, nonwovens microfibers, Eastman said,“Eastman Cyphrex microfibers are well-suited for paper, pulp, and nonwoven industry technical professionals who want innovations that can help them stay ahead of product commoditization. Because technical professionals want synthetic fibres to enable product performance without the processing challenges that often accompany them, Cyphrex microfibers could enable new attributes to allow for more customizable applications in the high-strength paper applications.”

In addition, these microfibers provide impressive tensile, tear and burst strength within a lightweight nonwoven sheet and produce highly uniform sheets with high green strength. The uniformity of Eastman Cyphrex microfibers can allow for printability advantages, which adds value to specialty paper applications such as strong and lightweight backing for wall coverings and practical alternatives to high-strength polyethylene as a 100 per cent Eastman Cyphrex sheet.

Eastman experts will be presenting the benefits of using Eastman Cyphrex microfibers for high-strength paper during PaperCon 2015, from April 19 to 22, 2015 at Atlanta. (GK)