Quantifying Microstickies via a New Agglomeration Technique, 2013 PEERS Conference

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Despite the recognized importance of microstickies to the various deposition problems experienced in pulping, papermaking and printing operations, there is still no consensus on a proper method to quantify them. One proposed method is to agglomerate them in a pulp sample by a long cold storage or by exposure to reduced pressure conditions followed by a classification step to isolate them from the pulp, as macrostickies. In this paper, we tested this approach but using a more effective agglomeration method to convert microstickies into macrostickies. Using model systems to validate the microstickies quantification method, we describe how a relatively short boiling treatment along with controlled mixing promotes and speeds up the agglomeration process.