Effects of the Size and Distribution of Preflocculated GCC on the Physical Properties of Paper

Increasing the filler content of sheet improves the optical properties and printability of paper and provides an opportunity for saving production cost through fiber replacement with relatively low-priced filler. But increasing the filler content tends to decrease the strength of paper and filler retention. It also tends to deteriorate drainage on the paper machine. To overcome these problems, preflocculation technology of fillers may be employed. Many research efforts have been made on the properties of preflocculated filler, namely prefloc, whose size and size distribution were influenced by polymer type and shear level. But there is much to be investigated about the effect of the prefloc characteristics on the physical properties of paper. To evaluate the effect cationic polymers on the size and size distribution of preflocculated GCC and their shear stability, cationic PAM and cationic starch were used. The influence of the preflocculation on filler retention and its surface distribution, and the changes of physical and optical properties of handsheets affected by the characteristics of preflocs were examined. Filler distribution on sheet surface was also analyzed by EPMA. Results showed that cationic PAM formed large preflocs at low dosage. Cationic starch was required to add 15 times as much as cationic PAM to obtain the preflocs with similar size. But preflocs formed with cationic starch was superior in shear stability to those formed with cationic PAM. Filler preflocculation technology could provide an opportunity of increasing filler content significantly without loss in tensile strength. And increased filler contents could compensate brightness loss which often accompanies filler preflocculation. When excessively large preflocs were used, however, brightness loss rather than the improvement in tensile strength was predominant. Therefore it is of great importance to produce preflocs with proper size and shear stability for maximizing the improvement of physical properties of papers.