Date of Award

6-2003

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Chemical and Paper Engineering

Department

Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Imaging

First Advisor

Dr. Margaret K. Joyce

Second Advisor

Dr. Paul D. Fleming

Third Advisor

Dr. Alexandra Pekarovicova

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of modified clay- zeolite pigment on the viscoelastic, optical, and printing properties of a LWC coating. Currently, lightweight, coated papers have experienced problems with mottle, distortion, fiber puffing and poor print quality when printed with water-based inks. However, water-based inks represent a proven solution to reducing volatile organic compound (VOCs) emissions. Poor wetting and ink spreading on the paper surface constitute the majority of print quality issues associated with the water-based printing of LWC papers.

Similar problems are encountered during the printing of ink jet papers due to high percentage of water contained in these inks. For this reason, porous pigments such as zeolites and high surface area silicas are used for these print applications. Zeolites, hydrated aluminosilicates, are microporous, high internal-surface area crystalline materials with a sponge like structure. The high void volume of these pigments is also known to improve the opacity of the coating layer, by increasing the number of air voids available to scatter light.

Comparison of a zeolite containing coating to a commercial formulation showed the zeolite to improve the optical and surface properties of the paper with no adverse effect on print quality.

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