Abstract
This article portrays special cellulose fibers, which are designed to be a functional additive and a carrier for papermaking chemicals. The first part of the presentation deals with the micronized $ARBOCEL^{(R)}$ cellulose fibers, which are used as a functional paper/paperboard additive. In particular as a bulk and speed aid. The detailed description of the micronized $ARBOCEL^{(R)}$ fibers, their function and effects on papermaking process and paper products are given. The second part of the study describes the concept of fiber-based papermaking chemicals. A new generation of fiber-based papermaking chemicals were presented for the first time at the PTS Pulp Technology Symposium 2005, and then several articles were published in various magazine in Asia ("Paper Asia"), the US ("Pulp & Paper"). and Europe ("Wochenblatt fuel Papierfabrikation"). The information generated quite an interest in the paper industry. Extensive studies of these papermaking additives have been made recently, new information obtained, and the compounds have gained more recognition in the industry. The company J. Rettenmaier und Soehne developed a group of fiber-based papermaking additives. They include combination of fibers with sizing agents, starch, fluorochemicals, minerals, biocides and some others. This article presents in-depth study of the AKD modified micronized cellulose as an example of the fiber-based papermaking chemicals concept. The material of the present paper is based mostly on the results of the pilot paper machine study at the Paper Research Institute PTS (Heidenau, Germany), and includes case studies from the mills, which used $ARBOCELPLUS^{(R)}-AKD$ compounds. It should be noted that the $ARBOCELPLUS^{(R)}$ compounds were not designed to replace traditional additives in paper industry. They should rather be used in those areas, where application of "normal" chemicals is especially problematic