Various embodiments of the present invention relate to surface enhanced pulp fibers, various products incorporating surface enhanced pulp fibers, and methods and systems for producing surface enhanced pulp fibers. Various embodiments of surface enhanced pulp fibers have significantly increased surface areas compared to conventional refined fibers while advantageously minimizing reductions in length following refinement. The surface enhanced pulp fibers can be incorporated into a number of products that might benefit from such properties including, for example, paper products, paperboard products, fiber cement boards, fiber reinforced plastics, fluff pulps, hydrogels, cellulose acetate products, and carboxymethyl cellulose products. In some embodiments, a plurality of surface enhanced pulp fibers have a length weighted average fiber length of at least about 0.3 millimeters and an average hydrodynamic specific surface area of at least about 10 square meters per gram, wherein the number of surface enhanced pulp fibers is at least 12,000 fibers/milligram on an oven-dry basis.

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to surface enhanced pulp fibers, various products incorporating surface enhanced pulp fibers, and methods and systems for producing surface enhanced pulp fibers. Various embodiments of surface enhanced pulp fibers have significantly increased surface areas compared to conventional refined fibers while advantageously minimizing reductions in length following refinement. The surface enhanced pulp fibers can be incorporated into a number of products that might benefit from such properties including, for example, paper products, paperboard products, fiber cement boards, fiber reinforced plastics, fluff pulps, hydrogels, cellulose acetate products, and carboxymethyl cellulose products. In some embodiments, a plurality of surface enhanced pulp fibers have a length weighted average fiber length of at least about 0.3 millimeters and an average hydrodynamic specific surface area of at least about 10 square meters per gram, wherein the number of surface enhanced pulp fibers is at least 12,000 fibers/milligram on an oven-dry basis.

Fibrous products having an improved softness are provided, which have beneficial effects on the skin upon use. The fibrous product includes a fibrous material in which this material has at least one of lactic acid or a salt thereof in an amount of, per ply provided, in the range of from about 0.1 to about 15 g/m.sup.2, and in some embodiments, in the range of from about 1.0 to about 1.5 g/m.sup.2. A water activity of the fibrous product is from about 0.03 to 0.85. The salt of lactic acid may, for example, be sodium lactate, potassium lactate, and/or calcium lactate.

Fibrous products having an improved softness are provided, which have beneficial effects on the skin upon use. The fibrous product includes a fibrous material in which this material has at least one of lactic acid or a salt thereof in an amount of, per ply provided, in the range of from about 0.1 to about 15 g/m.sup.2, and in some embodiments, in the range of from about 1.0 to about 1.5 g/m.sup.2. A water activity of the fibrous product is from about 0.03 to 0.85. The salt of lactic acid may, for example, be sodium lactate, potassium lactate, and/or calcium lactate.

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to surface enhanced pulp fibers, various products incorporating surface enhanced pulp fibers, and methods and systems for producing surface enhanced pulp fibers. Various embodiments of surface enhanced pulp fibers have significantly increased surface areas compared to conventional refined fibers while advantageously minimizing reductions in length following refinement. The surface enhanced pulp fibers can be incorporated into a number of products that might benefit from such properties including, for example, paper products, paperboard products, fiber cement boards, fiber reinforced plastics, fluff pulps, hydrogels, cellulose acetate products, and carboxymethyl cellulose products. In some embodiments, a plurality of surface enhanced pulp fibers have a length weighted average fiber length of at least about 0.3 millimeters and an average hydrodynamic specific surface area of at least about 10 square meters per gram, wherein the number of surface enhanced pulp fibers is at least 12,000 fibers/milligram on an oven-dry basis.

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to surface enhanced pulp fibers, various products incorporating surface enhanced pulp fibers, and methods and systems for producing surface enhanced pulp fibers. Various embodiments of surface enhanced pulp fibers have significantly increased surface areas compared to conventional refined fibers while advantageously minimizing reductions in length following refinement. The surface enhanced pulp fibers can be incorporated into a number of products that might benefit from such properties including, for example, paper products, paperboard products, fiber cement boards, fiber reinforced plastics, fluff pulps, hydrogels, cellulose acetate products, and carboxymethyl cellulose products. In some embodiments, a plurality of surface enhanced pulp fibers have a length weighted average fiber length of at least about 0.3 millimeters and an average hydrodynamic specific surface area of at least about 10 square meters per gram, wherein the number of surface enhanced pulp fibers is at least 12,000 fibers/milligram on an oven-dry basis.

A method for manufacturing an extensible paper, is herein described. The method comprises the steps of: providing pulp fibers in form of a pulp having a first length-weighted average curl index; mechanically treating the pulp fibers using a pulp compression process to induce fiber deformations such that the resulting pulp fibers have a second length-weighted average curl index higher than the first length-weighted average curl index; forming a wet web using the mechanically treated pulp fibers; drying the wet web under restraint to form a dried web; and adding a polymer to the dried web. An extensible paper is also described that comprises: pulp fibers having a length-weighted average curl index C.sub.LW; and a polymer in an amount of from 2 to 40 wt % based on the weight of the extensible paper; wherein the extensible paper has a Gurley air resistance below 20 s/100 mL and an elongation at break of at least 7%.

A method for manufacturing an extensible paper, is herein described. The method comprises the steps of: providing pulp fibers in form of a pulp having a first length-weighted average curl index; mechanically treating the pulp fibers using a pulp compression process to induce fiber deformations such that the resulting pulp fibers have a second length-weighted average curl index higher than the first length-weighted average curl index; forming a wet web using the mechanically treated pulp fibers; drying the wet web under restraint to form a dried web; and adding a polymer to the dried web. An extensible paper is also described that comprises: pulp fibers having a length-weighted average curl index C.sub.LW; and a polymer in an amount of from 2 to 40 wt % based on the weight of the extensible paper; wherein the extensible paper has a Gurley air resistance below 20 s/100 mL and an elongation at break of at least 7%.

An ink absorption member is to be used to absorb ink. The ink absorption member includes a fiberized material and a liquid-absorbent resin. The fiberized material includes a fiber. In the ink absorption member, a content of the liquid-absorbent resin is greater than 5 wt. % and 90 wt. % or less relative to a weight of the fiber. Furthermore, it is preferable that a bulk density of the ink absorption member of the present invention be 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 or greater and 0.3 g/cm.sup.3 or less.

An ink absorption member is to be used to absorb ink. The ink absorption member includes a fiberized material and a liquid-absorbent resin. The fiberized material includes a fiber. In the ink absorption member, a content of the liquid-absorbent resin is greater than 5 wt. % and 90 wt. % or less relative to a weight of the fiber. Furthermore, it is preferable that a bulk density of the ink absorption member of the present invention be 0.01 g/cm.sup.3 or greater and 0.3 g/cm.sup.3 or less.