Polymer coating of paper using dry surface treatment:: Coating structure and performance

What effects do fixation conditions and the polymer thermomechanical properties have on the structure and performance of coatings prepared in a laboratory-scale DST prototype? At low coat weights, the prerequisite for homogeneous layers was a fine particle size distribution. At high coat weights, it was important to enhance polymer flow during fixation to obtain a coherent and uniform film. Small particle size, high polymer deformability, and high coat weight were beneficial in sealing the paper substrate. Prolonging the dwell time in the DST nip to enhance polymer flow is not a promising solution because of the problem of sticking. Instead, a better way to reach a balance between polymer characteristics and fixation conditions is to obtain better adapted polymers. Nevertheless, DST provides an alternative approach for manufacturing coated and laminated structures.