Development of new enzymatic products for optimization of paper properties

Extractives and various polymers found in wood pulp have deleterious impacts on a number of industrial processes, as well as on papermaking productivity. Such impacts have to be considered too in the emerging field of biorefining (production or extraction of high value products from forest biomass). The main partner to this project (Buckman Canada) has successfully introduced enzymes to the paper industry, but would like to expand its offering to the forest industry as a whole. Our goal is to develop a new method that will allow for specific monitoring of synergies among various enzymes, using fluorescence spectroscopy. We intend to develop new formulations and demonstrate their effectiveness on industrial substrates. Our success will help Buckman Canada and Kruger reinforce their leadership position in application of green chemistry in the forest biomass products sector.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Marc Beauregard

Student:

Amadou Moussa Diakite, Hébert-Ouellet Yannick, Miranda Maki, Chekhchoukh Mounir, Li Cui David Charbonneau & Francois Laframboise

Partner:

Buckman Canada

Discipline:

Engineering - other

Sector:

Pulp and paper

University:

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières