This is my poster presentation for the 2017 Made in Millersville Conference at Millersville University. I had the opportunity to share my internship experience at Glatfelter's Corporate Analytical Services to the faculty, staff, administration, and students at Millersville, as well as get reviewed by professionals on my presentation.

1. Pulp
Internship at Glatfelter’s Corporate Analytical Services
Gloria Chung, Dr. Michael Elioff
Glatfelter is an increasingly global manufacturer of engineered papers and
specialty papers. The company’s goal is to strive to expand in product
development with the dedication to decreasing negative environmental impact.
Glatfelter’s headquarters is based in York, PA, with major mills in Spring
Grove, PA and Chillicothe, OH. International locations include Germany,
France, China, and the Philippines. In 2014, Glatfelter received a $5 million
Economic Growth Initiative Grant and a $3 million Clean Energy Grant from
Governor Tom Corbett to allow a conversion from coal to natural gas.
Glatfelter is known for a lot of everyday products. In fact, 40% of the U.S.
population touches a Glatfelter product everyday!
At Glatfelter’s Corporate Analytical Services, I am an Analytical Chemist Co-
Op / Intern. My tasks include qualitative and quantitative analyses, chemical
and physical analyses, instrumentation, sample preparation, and assisting
senior chemists.
INTRODUCTION / JOB TITLE
Every year, Glatfelter’s Corporate Analytical Services
look for two interns to work full-time over the summer
and then part-time during the school year. Interns also
have the opportunity to be a part of Glatfelter
University, a real-world prep class involving resume
building, interview, networking, team collaborations,
business finances, and meeting with the CEO of
Glatfelter. Other areas for internship opportunities
within Glatfelter include IT, law, OSHA, and
engineering.
GLATFELTER OPPORTUNITIES
Department of Chemistry, Millersville University,Millersville, PA 17551
The Kraft Chemical Process is a process that converts woodchips to individual
fibers, also known as pulp, to make paper. The process starts in the digester
where steam and white liquor are both used to bring the temperature in the
digestion process to ~170°C; thus, increasing the pressure. This digests the
lignin that holds the cellulose fibers together. Washing and oxygen
delignification takes place, where the pulp is washed with black liquor to wash
away any undigested woods. Oxygen is used to remove any remaining lignin,
and this also extracts any color from the pulp; therefore, less chemicals are
needed during the bleaching process. Bleaching brightens fibers from its initial
brownish color to white. This is what gives paper its clean, bright color. Some
benefits of the Kraft Chemical Process include the adaptability to all wood
species, efficient chemical recovery system, high quality pulp, and low
manufacturing costs.
KRAFT CHEMICAL PROCESS
The Kraft Recovery Process recovers chemicals from the Kraft Chemical
Process. The Kraft Recovery Process is a continuous loop. Diluted black
liquor is sent to the evaporators, where it becomes more concentrated. In the
recovery boiler, all the lignosulfinates and other oxidizing forms of sulfur is
converted to sodium sulfide by reduction. The organic is also burned to yield
sodium carbonate. Both sodium sulfide and sodium carbonate are the main
components of green liquor. In the causticizing plant, the green liquor reacts
with calcium oxide, which is essentially lime. The sodium carbonate in green
liquor generates calcium carbonate, also known as lime mud. The lime mud is
then taken to the lime-kiln, where it is heated and produces calcium oxide and
carbon dioxide.
CaCO3 + heat  CaO + CO2
Calcium oxide goes back to react with the green liquor to make white liquor
and also more lime mud. Carbon dioxide is collected and taken back to the
precipitated calcium carbonate plant (PCC Plant), where it reacts with lime to
make a highly shaped form of calcium carbonate. This highly shaped form of
calcium carbonate is used in the paper machine often as filler, where it is less
expensive than fiber and also creates opacity in paper.
KRAFT RECOVERY PROCESS
Digester
Washing
Evaporators
Recovery
Boiler
Green Liquor
Na2CO3
Na2S
Conc. Black
Liquor
Na2S
Diluted Black Liquor
Na2S
White Liquor
NaOH
Na2S
Lime Kiln
Causticizing Plant
Lime Mud
CaCO3
Lime
CaO
PULP EXTRACTIVES: The determination of extractives in pulp in both softwood and
hardwood pulp are analyzed using a simple extraction method with dichloromethane. DCM
extracts non-volatile materials in pulp like waxes, fats, resins, sterols, and hydrocarbons. The
apparatus consist of a condenser, extraction thimble, Soxhlet extractor, round-bottom flask,
chiller, and a hotplate. An extraction for one sample can take up to 5 hours, giving us a total of
~20 extractions. The purpose of this routine analysis is to maintain product development, and to
assist in quality control of manufactured pulp. Based on the results, hardwood pulp has more
extractives than softwood.
ROUTINE ANALYSES
BLACK LIQUORS: Black liquors are tested on a weekly basis to maintain concentrations of certain
elements: Na, K, Ca, Al, Mg, Si, and Soluble Ca. Each element determines the quality and
performance of black liquor. To digest the liquors, a series of acids are used: nitric, fluoroboric, and
phosphoric. The samples are prepped and then digested via an Ultrawave Microwave Digester. The
digested samples are then filtered and necessary dilutions take place. The samples are then analyzed
with the ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometer). The ICP-OES
detects metal at concentrations of ppm and ppb.
ULTRAWAVE MICROWAVE DIGESTER: The Ultrawave Microwave Digester
is designed to digest difficult samples, especially metals prep. The automatic
digestion system offers a single reaction chamber made out of high-performance
stainless steel for higher pressures and temperatures of up to 199 bar and 300°C
respectively.
INSTRUMENTATION
ICP-OES: The ICP-OES can measure a range of elements, even low levels of difficult
metals like silicon and boron, all in a single analysis cycle. It can be automated with
enhanced accuracy and precision throughout the analysis. Two different types of
nebulizers are used: glass and Teflon. The glass nebulizer is used for the majority of the
analysis; however, the Teflon is used whenever using fluoroboric acid. The sample gets
pumped into the nebulizer, where it gets turned into a fine mist. 99% of the sample gets
knocked out by the Argon-plasma, and only less than 1% of the sample gets ionized
anywhere between 7,000 – 10,000°C.
Thelred Ziegler, Supervisor at Glatfelter’s Corporate Analytical Services
Lynn Becker, Chemist III at Glatfelter’s Corporate Analytical Services
Jamaal Davenport, Chemist I at Glatfelter’s Corporate Analytical Services
Dr. Jeremiah K. N. Mbindyo, Internship Advisor
Dr. Michael Elioff, Made in Millersville Advisor
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Buchanan, Michael. "Solvent Extractives of Wood and Pulp (Proposed Revision of T 204 Cm-
97)." Chemical Properties (2007): n. pag. Web.
Sjöström, Eero, and Raimo Alén. Analytical Methods in Wood Chemistry, Pulping, and
Papermaking. Berlin: Springer, 1999. Print.
REFERENCES