Acoustic ceiling tiles made with paper processing waste

1. An acoustic panel comprising:

from 0 to about 75 wt % mineral wool;

more than 0 to about 30 wt % inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, clay and mixtures thereof;

more than 0 to about 15 wt % binder selected from the group consisting of starch, latex, a combination of starch and cellulosic fibers, kraft paper gel and mixtures thereof;

from about 25 to about 70 wt % perlite;

from about 10 to about 40 wt % cellulosic fiber;

wherein about 25 wt % to about 100 wt % of the cellulosic fiber and about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of the inorganic materials are provided by paper sludge obtained from pulp and paper processing waste, said paper sludge including cellulosic fiber and inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of clay, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof.

2. The panel of claim 1 wherein the pulp and paper processing waste is generated by one of a virgin paper processing plant or a paper recycling plant.

3. The panel of claim 1 wherein the mineral wool is present in an amount less than or equal to 10 wt %.

4. The panel of claim 1 wherein gypsum is present in an amount less than or equal to 20 wt %.

5. The panel of claim 1 wherein the starch is present in an amount ranging from about 5 to about 15 wt %.

6. The panel of claim 1 wherein the perlite is expanded perlite and is present in an amount ranging from about 40 to about 65 wt %.

7. The panel of claim 6 wherein the expanded perlite has a density of less than 20 pounds per cubic foot (pcf).

8. An acoustic panel comprising:

from 0 to about 75 wt % mineral wool;

inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of gypsum, clay, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof, wherein the acoustic panel comprises from more than 0 to about 30 wt % gypsum;

from more than 0 to about 15 wt % binder selected from the group consisting of starch, a combination of starch and cellulosic fibers, latex, kraft paper gel and mixtures thereof;

from about 25 to about 70 wt % perlite;

from more than 0 to 40 wt % paper sludge obtained from pulp and paper processing waste, said paper sludge including about 18 to about 24 wt % cellulosic fiber and also including inorganic material selected from the group consisting of clay, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof, and wherein about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of the inorganic materials in the acoustic panel are provided by the paper sludge.

9. The panel of claim 8 wherein the pulp and paper processing waste is generated by one of a virgin paper processing plant or a paper recycling plant.

10. The panel of claim 8 further comprising cellulosic fiber obtained from a hydropulped paper source.

11. The panel of claim 8 wherein the mineral wool is present in an amount less than or equal to 10 wt %.

12. The panel of claim 8 wherein the gypsum is present n an amount less than or equal to 20 wt %.

13. The panel of claim 8 wherein the starch is present in an amount ranging from about 5 to about 15 wt %.

14. The panel of claim 8 wherein the perlite is expanded perlite and is present in an amount ranging from about 40 to about 65 wt %.

15. A process for manufacturing acoustic panels in a water-felting process, the process comprising:

forming an aqueous slurry comprising

expanded perlite,

inorganic material selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, clay and mixtures thereof,

cellulosic fibers, and

binder selected from the group consisting of starch, a combination of starch and cellulosic fibers, latex, kraft paper gel and mixtures thereof,

wherein about 25 wt % to about 100 wt % of the cellulosic fiber and about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of the inorganic material are provided by paper sludge derived from pulp and paper processing waste, said paper sludge including cellulosic fiber and inorganic material selected from the group consisting of clay, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof;

continuously flowing the slurry onto a moving foraminous support wire to form a cake;

dewatering the cake to form a base mat such that the cake has a drain time of less than 20 seconds; and

drying the base mat to produce acoustical tile.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the pulp and paper processing waste is generated by one of a virgin paper processing plant or a paper recycling plant.

17. The process of claim 15 wherein at least a portion of the cellulosic fiber is obtained from a hydropulped paper source.

18. The process of claim 15 wherein the perlite is expanded perlite and is present in an amount ranging from about 40 to about 65 wt % on a dry basis.

19. The process of claim 15 wherein the resulting panels comprise:

from more than 0 to about 75 wt % mineral wool;

from more than 0 to about 30 wt % gypsum;

from more than 0 to about 15 wt % binder selected from the group consisting of starch, a combination of starch and cellulosic fibers, latex, kraft paper gel and mixtures thereof;

from about 25 to about 70 wt % perlite;

from more than 0 to 40 wt % pulp and paper processing waste comprising cellulosic fiber and inorganic material selected from the group consisting of clay, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof.

20. The process of claim 15 wherein the resulting panels comprise:

from more than 0 to about 10 wt % mineral wool;

from more than 0 to about 20 wt % gypsum;

from about 5 to about 15 wt % binder selected from the group consisting of starch, a combination of starch and cellulosic fibers, latex, kraft paper gel and mixtures thereof;

from about 40 to about 70 wt % perlite;

up to 40 wt % pulp and paper processing waste comprising cellulosic fiber and inorganic material selected from the group consisting of clay, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof.