The Effects of Water-Resistant Agents on Physical Properties, Mechanical Properties and Water Absorption Ability of Bamboo Culm Sheath Paper

Voravadee Suchaiya; Pemika Khamweera; Jareonporn Chokboribal; Sutatip Thonglem; Aiyada Sirinjullapong

Authors

Voravadee Suchaiya Majority of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand., Majority of Innovation and Product Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand.
Pemika Khamweera Majority of Innovation and Product Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand.
Jareonporn Chokboribal Majority of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand.
Sutatip Thonglem Majority of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand., Majority of Innovation and Product Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand.
Aiyada Sirinjullapong Majority of Home Economics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phranakhon Rajabhat University, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10220, Thailand.

Keywords:

water-resistant paper, bamboo culm sheath, bamboo culm sheath paper, water-resistant, sizing agent

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study the production of water-resistant paper from bamboo culm sheath using a handmade method and study the influence of water-resistant agents on the physical properties, mechanical properties, and water absorption ability of the paper. Five water-resistant agents, which were rosin-alum, alkyl ketene dimers (AKD), chitosan, natural latex, and soy wax, were blended with bamboo culm sheath pulp during the paper-forming process in amounts of 1, 2, 3, and 4 % by weight, based on the pulp weight. The results showed that the optimum amount of unbleached bamboo pulp for paper formation is 40 grams. This amount produced strong, foldable, and rollable paper with the least amount of bending and shrinkage. The addition of water-resistant agents increased the weight and thickness of the paper, except for AKD and chitosan which did not lead to the significant change in paper weight. The addition of AKD significantly affected the brightness value (L*) of the paper. Meanwhile, rosin-alum and natural latex increased the red and yellow values of the paper. Morphological studies revealed that AKD and chitosan had better distribution in the paper than rosin and alum, latex, and soy wax. For the mechanical properties of water-resistant paper, tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation depended on the type and amounts of water-resistant agents. The results showed that the presence of chitosan, AKD, and latex increased the modulus of the paper. Specifically, the addition of 2 %chitosan by weight led to the highest tensile strength and modulus values (P $\leq$ 0.05), which were 3.81±0.70 and 482.02± 72.40 MPa, respectively. Nevertheless, the addition of rosin-alum, AKD, chitosan, and soy wax caused the decrease in elongation at break of the paper. While, the addition of latex at 4% by weight could improve the elongation at break of the paper. Water resistant agents could significantly improve the paper’s resistance to water absorption. The water absorption resistance of the paper increased when amounts of water-resistant agents increased. The addition of 4% soy wax by weight contributed to the highest increase in water absorption resistance. After soybean wax, AKD and chitosan were the second and third best water-resistant agents, respectively. A contact angle study revealed that water droplets were able to wet and rapidly penetrate into the bamboo pulp paper. The presence of water-resistant agents resulted in higher contact angle value, indicating that the paper had a higher ability to resist water droplet penetration. It was found that adding 1 % AKD by weight resulted in the highest value of contact angle between the water drop and the paper surface.

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