Title
Improvement of hardwood kraft paper with narrow-leaved cattail fiber, cationic starch and ASA
Authors
WARANYOU SRIDACH* and RUETHAMRONG PALADSONGKHRAM

Received May 21, 2013
Published Volume 48 Issue 3-4 March-April
Keywords short-fibered pulp, non-wood fibers, narrow-leaved cattail, cationic starch, ASA emulsion

Abstract
The mechanical properties of short-fibered papers can be improved by non-wood fibers and wet end additives. Hardwood (Trema orientails (L.) Blume) affords short-fibered pulps, which are generally characterized by a lower strength. The blending with narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia L.) pulps, which are non-wood fibers, can greatly enhance the strength of short-fiber papers. This enhancement is due to the fiber length and fiber bonding of non-wood fibers, which closely resemble those of softwood pulps. An increased ratio in the mixing of non-wood fibers has resulted in an increase in paper strength. Cationic starch has been used as a wet end additive to improve dry strength with significant success. All mechanical properties were found to be increased by increasing the cationic starch added. However, the optimal dosage of cationic starch was of about 5% by dry weight of pulp. The water repellence in paper making was improved by the use of an alkenyl succinic acid anhydride (ASA) emulsion. ASA emulsion doses of 0.5 kg/t pulp slurry (1% consistency) contributed to a desirable level of water absorption. Therefore, the blends of narrow leaved cattail pulps, cationic starch and ASA emulsion that were prepared resulted in considerable improvement in the hardwood pulps used for packaging paper.