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Keywords: Surface filling; Papermaking; Fillers; Cellulosic paper; Paper strength; Functionalities;
Wet-end addition of fillers; Possibilities and potentials; Commercialization; Process concept
Contact information: Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology of Ministry of
Education, Material Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040,
China. *Corresponding author: qianxueren@yahoo.com.cn
Shen and Qian. (2012). Surface filling of paper, BioResources 7(2), 1385-1388. 1385
EDITORIAL bioresources.com
Filler engineering technologies, such as pre-treatment/modification and formation of
fiber/filler complexes, can also be adopted to improve the cost-effectiveness of wet-end
addition of fillers, or to add interesting functionalities to the paper products.
Shen and Qian. (2012). Surface filling of paper, BioResources 7(2), 1385-1388. 1386
EDITORIAL bioresources.com
density. For example, large and bulky fillers would not be quite suitable for surface
filling applications. One the other hand, surface filling would not be easily applied to
cellulosic paper with relatively closed fibrous matrixes, such as may be caused by
intensive pulp refining. Also, the addition of mineral particles to the polymer solution, in
relatively large amounts, may play a negative role in the development of surface strength
of the cellulosic paper.
Shen and Qian. (2012). Surface filling of paper, BioResources 7(2), 1385-1388. 1387
EDITORIAL bioresources.com
Potential Questions to Be Answered
From the above discussion, it may be evident that there are lots of interesting
possibilities and potentials associated with the adoption of surface filling concept.
However, there are still some potential questions that remain to be answered, for example:
Since this technology is not quite new to the industry, why are its commercial
uses not very well-known in comparison to wet-end filling? Are there still
some technical and/or economical bottlenecks in its industrial use?
Is the sparse use of surface filling in paper mills somewhat due to the fact that
its published reports are extremely rare? That is to say, does the limited
exposure of the relatively simple technology hurdle its commercialization?
Since the time interval between surface filling application and the drying of
the polymer is rather limited, will the density of fillers have a very significant
influence during its industrial practice? If so, what are the governing factors?
Can a carefully controlled combination of fillers and the polymer solution
result in optimal development of surface strength of the cellulosic paper?
For surface filling and wet-end filling, are there some specific differences in
recyclability of the cellulosic paper?
What about the possibility of surface filling with organic fillers?
What kinds of impacts/influences would surface filling provide when fillers
with such functionalities as magnetic, electrically conductive, and thermally
sensitive properties, are used?
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge support from the National Natural
Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31100439) and Fundamental Research Funds
(DL09BB07) for the Central Universities of China. The authors are also grateful to Prof.
Dr. Martin A. Hubbe at North Carolina State University for his valuable comments which
helped in improving the quality of the editorial.
References Cited
Laufmann, M., Gisella, U. (2011). Surface Filling of wood-free paper with natural
ground calcium carbonate, Appita J. 64(5), 403-407, 411.
Shen, J., Song, Z., Qian, X., and Ni, Y. (2011). A review on use of fillers in cellulosic
paper for functional applications, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 50(2), 661-666.
Shen and Qian. (2012). Surface filling of paper, BioResources 7(2), 1385-1388. 1388