ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Cellulose-precipitated calcium carbonate composites and their effect on paper properties

Kamel Mohamadzadeh-Saghavaz, Hossein Resalati, and Ali Ghasemian

Department of Wood and Paper Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (GUASNR), Gorgan, Iran

E-mail: k.mohamadzade@yahoo.com

Abstract: A cellulose-PCC composite was synthesised using the CaCl₂ reaction with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) under alkaline conditions and in the presence of cellulose fibrils made from highly refined bleached softwood kraft pulp. The results showed that the ash content in the synthesised cellulose-PCC composite increased by increasing the reaction temperature from 25°C to 70°C, the reaction time from 3.5 min to 7.5 min and the cellulose consistency from 0.05 % to 0.1 %. The ratio of calcium carbonate generated to the calcium chloride used initially was increased by increasing the reaction temperature and time. The XRD pattern of the cellulose-PCC composite indicated no modification micro-crystal habit of the deposited CaCO₃. The SEM images showed that the cellulose-PCC composite filler had a rhombohedral shape as opposed to the scalenohedral shape of common PCC. The paper filled with the cellulose-PCC composite had much higher bursting and tensile strengths, at a tearing strength similar to common PCC.

Keywords: composite – cellulose – fibril – calcium carbonate – dimethyl carbonate – DMC

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0513-7

Chemical Papers 68 (6) 774–781 (2014)