Real time neutron and X-ray Imaging to characterize water transport mechanisms in sustainable paper straws

Purpose and goal: This project is a research collaboration between Tetra Pak in Lund, Lund University (LTH) and RISE in Gothenburg.

The focus in this project is detection of the dynamic moisture vapor and water interaction and vapor/water transport through a paper fibre network. To capture these aforementioned processes which requires a good detection and contrast of the water that neutron techniques is suitable of and complemented with X-ray radiography/tomography with higher spatial resolution compared to neutron techniques.

Expected results and effects:

The data acquired using this novel experimental setup will strengthen the development of new sustainable paper-based products, such as paper straws and opening devices, by gaining new knowledge and an increased understanding of the dynamics and transport mechanisms involved when water and moisture interact with cellulose fibre-based materials. Moreover, the experimental findings will be used to calibrate and validate the performance of a current state-of-the art theoretical model by the use of digital twins and numerical simulations (Alexandersson M., PhD, 2020).

Approach and implementation:

A key aspect of this project is to re-design and use an available experimental sample environment that was already successfully used at synchrotron facilities but will now be modified for in-situ experiments, simultaneously acquiring neutron and X-ray radiography of time resolved studies of the water migration and water/moisture-fibre interaction. This sample environment will be specially designed to be used at the NeXT (Neutron and X-ray Tomography) beamline at ILL in Grenoble and in the future it can swiftly transferred to the ODIN-imaging beamline at ESS.