Fibre surface modifications of market pulp by consecutive treatments with cationic and anionic starch

Bleached softwood kraft pulps were coated with one to three layers of starch, which lead to tensile strength improvement. The strength increase was larger when a never-dried pulp was treated compared to treatment of a once-dried pulp, although equal amounts of starch were adsorbed in both cases. When the never-dried, starch-treated pulp was dried and subsequently reslushed, its tensile strength was higher than that of the never-dried reference pulp. It also required less PFI beating to reach a certain tensile index. Starch-treatment can thereby be a way of improving the tensile strength and beatability of market pulp.