Influence of addition of bulking promoter on AKD-sizing performance

Paper density, tensile index, sizing degree, and other properties of the handsheets were measured in term of addition level of bulking promoters and alkyl ketene dimer (AKD). Bulking promoters had clear bulking effects, and in subsequent addition of the AKD, the sheet density was further decreased slightly. Although the density of the handsheet decreased from 0.64 to 0.61 g/cm(3) when 0.2% AKD was added with the 0.8% bulking promoter, tensile strength decreased from 20.3 to 19.8 Nm/g. The addition of AKD led to suppression of the decrease in the tensile index. The bulking promoter may also have potential to give sizing effects to the paper sheet as well as the increase in paper thickness. When 0.05% AKD was added together with 0.8% of bulking promoter, the sizing degree of the handsheet was 25.6 seconds, and it was almost the same, 27.3 seconds, as the addition of 0.1% AKD only. AKD retention in the handsheet was determined by pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC). The addition of the bulking promoter contributed to AKD retention in the handsheet regardless of the sizing degree. Wetting characteristics of the handsheet were determined by contact angle measurements. Surface free energy, gamma (s) , of the handsheet as calculated from the contact angle decreased as the level of AKD addition increased.