Preparation and Application of Cationic Modified Cellulose Fibrils as a Papermaking Additive

Abstract

This paper deals with cationic modified cellulose fibrils obtained by reacting the cellulose fibrils with 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (EPTMAC). The physical and chemical properties of unmodified cellulose fibrils (UMCF) and cationic modified cellulose fibrils (CMCF) were characterized by SEM, FTIR, degree of substitution, colloid titration, zeta potential, and thermogravimetric analysis. The experimental results showed that, after cationization, surface charge density and zeta potential reversed, thermal stability decreased, and new functional groups appeared, while the surface morphology did not show much difference from the UMCF. With the addition of three kinds of additives (UMCF, CMCF, and cationic starch (CS)) to BCTMP, the addition of UMCF and CMCF had little effect on zeta potential, while the addition of CS changed zeta potential obviously. With the increasing of additive amount, the bulk of paper sheets added CMCF did not change obviously, while the bulk of paper sheets added UMCF and CS decreased rapidly. With regard to physical strength, all the three kinds of additives could improve the tensile index and tear index; the tensile index of paper sheets added CS was higher than that of added UMCF and CMCF, while the tear index of paper sheets added CMCF was the highest among the three additives.