Printability of Sized Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) Papers

Abstract

This article reviews the effect of chitosan, cationic starch and polyvinyl alcohol as sizing agents to improve printability properties of kenaf handsheets. The polymers were incorporated into the sheets by spray application. This study clearly demonstrated that the use of chitosan could improve the printability and print quality of kenaf paper in terms of water and oil absorption, ink penetration, print density and gloss for offset printing. Both PVA-sizing and cationic starch sizing gave print densities and ink penetrations than were intermediate between chitosan and the unsized control sheet, which gave the lowest values for these properties. Kenaf paper sized with chitosan gave the best mix of desirable printing paper properties and was superior to kenaf papers sized with either cationic starch or PVA.

Keywords:

• Chitosan
• Kenaf
• Printability
• Print density
• Roughness
• Sizing agent
• Surface properties

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Financial support from the Co-operative Research Center (CRC) for Functional Communication Surfaces is gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank Mrs. K. Hands Mr. J. Ward and Mr. M.H. Greaves (CSIRO) for their technical assistance.

Notes

†“K-Chitosan” are handsheets made from bleached kenaf pulp sized with 1.5% chitosan and “K-PVA” and “K-Cat.starch” are the analogous kenaf sheets sized with 2% PVA and 1.5% cationic starch.

‡Gurley method.

†All tests were performed on the glazed (plate) side of the handsheets.