Develop nonwoven materials with bio-based and home compostable barriers to Dry Moulded Fiber for circular packaging

Purpose and goal:

The goal was to develop radically new materials that enable the integration of an environmentally friendly hydro- or oleophobic barrier on cellulose fibers used in DMF processes.

The project proved that it was possible to produce such combined materials with very good results and potential economic viability, but that the carrier materials need further optimizations with further studies for industrial application. Expected results and effects:

By integrating completely environmentally friendly barrier solutions in DMF into new materials, the project significantly improved the durability of DMF products.

It is necessary to continue developing combined materials based on these results, but critical evidence about the principles was secured.

These results are a major step forward in facilitating the industrial shift towards sustainable and easily recyclable DMF packaging and therefore a more circular bio-based economy. Approach and implementation:

In the project, we have had time to evaluate 8 different variants of viscose sheets with new chemistry coated in the lab and 3 different variants coated on a pilot line. 5-30 test specimens of each sheet (up to 300 tests in total) were formed using PulPac´s dry forming technique (DMF) and then evaluated by measuring the time for different liquids to penetrate the barrier.

The starting point was that the carrier material (viscose) was not critical in the coating, but showed limitations in the molding, whereupon further tests with other carrier materials are needed.