Use of Aluminum Trihydrate Filler to Improve the Strength Properties of Cellulosic Paper Exposed to High Temperature Treatment

Cellulosic paper is thermolabile and its strength properties tend to decrease under high temperature conditions. In this work, the effects of aluminum trihydrate filler on the tensile and burst strength of paper prepared from bleached wood pulps were investigated. The use of aluminum trihydrate maintained the tensile and burst strength of paper sheet dried at 200 °C for 4 hours. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry gave the evidence that the maintainance of strength after drying associated with the use of aluminum trihydrate filler is possibly due to the increase in degradation temperature and heat absorption of cellulosic paper. The results regarding Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and the water retention value (WRV) and crystallinity index of fibers indicated the alleviated degradation of fibers when aluminum trihydrate was incorporated into the paper matrix.