Energy-efficient production of greaseproof paper without PFAS

Björn Öman is an industrial PhD student within the EXACT Graduate School at Karlstad University, in collaboration with Nordic Paper in Säffle. His research focuses on making the production of greaseproof paper (grease- and oil-resistant paper) more energy-efficient.

Greaseproof paper is expensive and energy-intensive to produce because the pulp must be heavily refined to achieve a dense, pore-free structure.

The research has so far focused on two main tracks:

  1. More efficient dewatering in the paper machine through a new type of vacuum suction box, which increases the dry content early in the process and reduces energy consumption.
  2. Modified fiber composition, where the addition of eucalyptus fiber (short, thin fibers) makes it possible to reduce refining energy by approximately 18% without compromising the paper’s properties or the runnability of the process.

The EXACT Industrial Graduate School is funded through grants from the Knowledge Foundation (KK Foundation).