paper pulp chemicals

AKD Sizing Agent (Alkyl Ketene Dimer)

Alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) is a widely used neutral and alkaline internal sizing agent for paper and board production. It forms a covalent ester bond with cellulose hydroxyl groups, providing excellent long-term hydrophobicity and ink holdout. AKD is typically supplied as a stable wax emulsion for easy addition to the wet end.

paper pulp chemicals

ASA Sizing Agent (Alkenyl Succinic Anhydride)

CAS: 26680-54-6

Alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) is a reactive internal sizing agent widely used in neutral and alkaline papermaking systems. It provides excellent hydrophobicity to paper and board, ensuring strong water resistance and printability. ASA reacts covalently with cellulose fibers, delivering durable sizing performance even at low dosage levels.

paper pulp chemicals

Alum (Papermaking Grade Aluminum Sulfate)

CAS: 10043-01-3

Aluminum sulfate (alum) is a classical papermaking chemical used to fix rosin size onto cellulose fibers in acidic papermaking systems, lowering the pH to 4.5–5.5 to promote sizing efficiency. It also acts as a coagulant to precipitate dissolved and colloidal substances from furnish, improving retention and drainage. In modern alkaline mills, polyaluminum chloride (PAC) has largely replaced alum, but alum remains widely used in acidic paper grades.

paper pulp chemicals

Anionic Polyacrylamide (Paper Grade)

CAS: 9003-05-8

Anionic polyacrylamide (APAM) for paper grade is a high-molecular-weight polymer used as a retention and drainage aid in the wet end of papermaking. It works synergistically with cationic coagulants and microparticle systems to improve fine and filler retention, drainage speed, and paper formation. It also serves as a dry strength resin and flocculation aid in stock preparation.

paper pulp chemicals

Anthraquinone (Kraft Pulping Additive)

CAS: 84-65-1

Anthraquinone (AQ) is a highly effective pulping additive used in kraft and soda pulping processes to accelerate delignification and protect cellulose from degradation. Even at very low dosage levels (0.05–0.1% on o.d. wood), it significantly increases pulp yield and reduces the kappa number of unbleached pulp. Anthraquinone acts as a redox catalyst, shuttling electrons between lignin and carbohydrates.

paper pulp chemicals

Bentonite Microparticle (Retention & Drainage Aid)

CAS: 1302-78-9

Bentonite microparticle is a swelling smectite clay used as the anionic component in dual and multi-component retention and drainage systems for papermaking. When added after a high-molecular-weight cationic polymer, bentonite breaks the polymer-fiber flocs into smaller, more uniformly distributed microflocs, dramatically improving formation, drainage, and filler retention. It is widely used in alkaline fine paper and packaging board production.

paper pulp chemicals

Black Liquor Evaporation Antifoam (Silicone Defoamer)

Silicone-based antifoam agents designed for kraft black liquor evaporation are used to suppress foam formation during the concentration of spent cooking liquor in multi-effect evaporators. Uncontrolled foaming in evaporators causes carryover, equipment fouling, and reduced evaporation efficiency. These high-temperature-stable, alkali-resistant antifoams are effective at trace dosage levels in highly caustic, high-solids black liquor.

paper pulp chemicals

Broke Repulping and Disintegration Aid

Broke repulping and disintegration aids are alkaline or enzymatic chemical formulations that accelerate the breakdown of wet-strength-treated, sized, or coated broke paper in repulping systems. They facilitate fiber separation and reduce energy consumption in broke pulpers, ensuring efficient recovery of fiber for reuse in the paper machine furnish. These aids are particularly important for tissue, paperboard, and specialty paper mills that generate wet-strength or coated broke.

paper pulp chemicals

Calendering Lubricant (Paper Supercalender Aid)

Calendering lubricants are applied to coated or uncoated paper webs prior to supercalendering or soft-nip calendering to improve gloss development, surface smoothness, and reduce friction between paper and calender roll surfaces. They prevent coating pick-off and surface damage during calendering, enabling production of high-gloss printing papers. These water-based formulations contain lubricating agents, softeners, and coating film-formers.

paper pulp chemicals

Carboxymethyl Cellulose (Paper & Coating Grade)

CAS: 9004-32-4

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a water-soluble anionic cellulose ether used in paper coating formulations as a thickener, water-retention agent, and co-binder. It provides excellent rheology control in coating colors, improving runnability and coating uniformity. CMC is also used in the wet end as a dry strength additive and as a surface sizing component.

paper pulp chemicals

Cationic Polyacrylamide (Paper Grade)

Cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) for paper applications is a highly effective coagulant and retention aid used in the wet end of paper machines. Its positive charge allows it to interact strongly with anionic fiber fines, fillers, and colloidal substances in the stock, forming large flocs that improve retention, drainage, and paper machine runnability. It is also applied in wastewater treatment for sludge dewatering.

paper pulp chemicals

Cationic Starch

CAS: 65996-62-5

Cationic starch is a chemically modified starch with positively charged substituents, widely used as a dry strength additive and retention aid in papermaking. It adsorbs strongly onto negatively charged cellulose fibers, improving fiber bonding, filler retention, and drainage on the paper machine. Cationic starch also functions as a surface sizing agent to enhance paper strength and stiffness.

paper pulp chemicals

Chlorine Dioxide Generator Chemicals (ClO₂ Bleaching)

Chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) is the primary bleaching agent in modern elemental chlorine-free (ECF) kraft pulp bleaching, offering superior delignification selectivity and brightness stability compared to molecular chlorine. Generator precursor chemicals — typically sodium chlorate and reducing agents such as sulfur dioxide or methanol — are used in on-site ClO₂ production systems at pulp mills.

paper pulp chemicals

Colloidal Silica Microparticle Retention System

Colloidal silica microparticle systems are used in the paper machine wet end as part of a two-component or three-component retention and drainage system. When used in combination with a cationic polymer (cationic starch or CPAM), colloidal silica creates microflocs with high surface area that dramatically improve retention efficiency, drainage speed, and paper formation uniformity on high-speed paper machines.

paper pulp chemicals

Cotton Linter Processing Additive (Specialty Paper)

Cotton linter processing additives are specialty chemicals used in the purification, bleaching, and refining of cotton linter pulp for high-purity cellulose paper applications. They include cooking aids, bleaching chemicals, and drainage enhancers tailored for the unique fiber structure of cotton linter. These additives enable production of premium cotton-based papers including currency paper, cigarette paper, filter paper, and fine art paper with superior purity and strength.

paper pulp chemicals

Creping Adhesive (Tissue Paper)

Creping adhesives are specialty polymer formulations applied to the Yankee dryer cylinder in tissue and towel paper production to control the adhesion level of the paper web to the cylinder surface. Proper adhesion is critical for creping efficiency, tissue softness, stretch, and bulk. These adhesives are based on polyvinyl alcohol, polyamide, polyacrylate, or blend systems tailored for different Yankee operating conditions.

paper pulp chemicals

Creping Release Agent (Tissue Yankee)

Creping release agents are applied to the Yankee dryer in tissue paper manufacturing to balance the adhesion of the creping adhesive, allowing controlled release of the paper web at the doctor blade for uniform creping. They are typically based on polyols, fatty acids, or mineral oil dispersions and are dosed in opposition to the adhesive to achieve the optimal adhesion-release balance for target tissue softness and crepe structure.

paper pulp chemicals

DTPA Chelating Agent (Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid)

CAS: 67-43-6

DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) is a powerful chelating agent used in pulp bleaching to sequester transition metal ions such as manganese, iron, and copper that catalytically decompose hydrogen peroxide. Pre-treatment of pulp with DTPA before alkaline peroxide bleaching improves peroxide efficiency and brightness gain. It is widely used in both mechanical and chemical pulp bleaching systems.

paper pulp chemicals

Deinking Surfactant (Flotation Deinking)

Deinking surfactants are specialty blends of fatty acid soaps, nonionic, and anionic surfactants formulated to detach ink particles from recycled paper fibers and facilitate their removal by flotation or washing. Effective deinking surfactants improve brightness and cleanliness of deinked pulp (DIP), enabling production of high-quality recycled fiber papers. Formulations are optimized for different recovered paper grades including ONP, OMG, and mixed office waste.

paper pulp chemicals

Fluorescent Whitening Agent (Paper Grade OBA)

Fluorescent whitening agents (FWA) or optical brightening agents (OBA) for paper are stilbene-based or coumarin-based compounds that absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible blue light, significantly increasing the perceived whiteness and brightness of paper. They are applied at the wet end, size press, or in coating colors, and are essential for premium white printing and writing papers.

paper pulp chemicals

Fortified Rosin Ester Size

Fortified rosin ester size is an enhanced rosin-based sizing agent produced by reacting natural rosin with maleic anhydride or fumaric acid, increasing the acid value and improving sizing efficiency compared to plain rosin. Available as anionic or cationic emulsions, it provides superior water resistance, printability, and sizing uniformity at reduced dosage. Fortified rosin sizes are used in both acidic and slightly acidic papermaking conditions.

paper pulp chemicals

Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC, Paper Grade)

CAS: 471-34-1

Ground calcium carbonate (GCC) is mechanically produced from natural limestone or marble, offering a cost-effective filler and coating pigment for papermaking. It provides good brightness, opacity, and smoothness in both wet-end filling and surface coating applications. GCC is the most widely used mineral filler in global alkaline papermaking due to its abundance and competitive cost.

paper pulp chemicals

Hydrogen Peroxide (Pulp Bleaching Grade)

CAS: 7722-84-1

Hydrogen peroxide is the key oxidative bleaching agent in elemental chlorine-free (ECF) and totally chlorine-free (TCF) pulp bleaching processes. It is effective for brightening both chemical and mechanical pulps, particularly in alkaline peroxide bleaching stages. When used with chelating agents and silicate stabilizers, it delivers consistent brightness gain with minimal fiber degradation.

paper pulp chemicals

Hydrophobic Surface Sizing Agent

Hydrophobic surface sizing agents are polymer-based formulations applied at the size press or film press to impart water repellency and liquid resistance to paper and board surfaces. They are based on styrene-acrylate, styrene-maleic anhydride, or polyurethane emulsion chemistry, providing superior water resistance, Cobb values, and grease resistance compared to starch-only sizing. These agents are essential for packaging, liquid-contact, and food-grade paper applications.