A comprehensive overview of starch use in paper manufacturing

Besides cellulose, starch in terms of consumption figures constitutes the most important renewable raw material for paper manufacturing. In 1995, approx. 1.3 million tons of starch were processed in western European paper mills alone. Despite its impressive role in the paper industry, there are very few publications on starch which give a broad overview of its raw materials and its possible modifications in the context of its implications for the overall paper manufacturing process. The authors undertake a summary of the application differences of starches and the impact of these differences on papermaking. The starch products used in the wet end are described in terms of their raw materials, i.e. corn, potatoes, waxy maize, and of their modification processes. Starches for use in surface treatment and as coating binders are discussed under environmental aspects as well as with their potential modifications in starch plants or in paper mills. The starch products employed for surface treatment and coating purposes are also covered with regard to their effects in the wet end and on waste waters.