PAPER making! g! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL ® Volume 12, Number 1, 2026
and CNC of the samples. Especially considering their crystallinity and thermal properties, it can be said that waste office paper is more suitable for nanocellulose production than waste newsprint. “Synergistic Effect of a Chitosan/Micro–Nano-Fibrillated Cellulose in Surface Sizing of Kraft Paper”, Kushal Mahant, Rupansh Singh, Deepa Dubey, Adarsh Kumar Rai, Saurabh Kumar Kardam, Satya Dev Negi, Sanjay Tyagi, Ashish Kumar, Shubhang Bhardwaj, Prabhjot Kaur, Journal of Applied Polymer Science , Vol.43(4), 20 Jan. 2026, e58112. The present study introduces a novel approach to surface sizing (SS) of kraft paper by directly comparing oxidized starch (OS), chitosan, and a blended solution of micro– nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) with chitosan. This is the first investigation to benchmark chitosan and chitosan–nanocellulose-based sizing against OS, the most widely used surface sizing agent. Remarkably, the chitosan–MNFC blend achieved substantial improvements in paper properties even at very low application levels (0.35–0.50 g/m 2 ), demonstrating both cost-effectiveness and sustainability. At a 0.50 g/m 2 dose, tensile strength, tensile energy absorption (TEA), and stretch in the machine direction increased by 46%, 50%, and 111%, respectively. The burst factor improved by up to 1.8 times, and air permeance resistance increased by 2100%–3680% compared to unsized paper. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the chitosan–MNFC blend formed a denser and smoother surface than the other sizing agents. These findings establish the chitosan–MNFC system as a promising, sustainable alternative to starch-based surface sizing. PAPER CHEMICALS “Chimeric enzymes in the pulp and paper making industry: Current developments” Abdullah Arsalan, Yuvaraj Ravikumar Xinrui Tang, Zijing Cao, Mei Zhao, Wenjing Sun, Xianghui Qi, Biotechnology Advances , Vol.79, Mar.–Apr. 2025, 108530. The pulp and paper (P&P) industry plays a vital role in supporting the social and economic progress of a country by supplying essential commodities. Conventional P&P processing often consumes significant energy and use chemical agents to produce hazardous intermediates. The use of enzymes in the P&P industry has significantly reduced both the chemical and energy demands during processing. A variety of enzyme combination cocktails are used to perform multiple functions in a single step, but often fail to operate synergistically because of significant differences in operational conditions. This lack of synergy under various operating conditions highlights the need for engineered chimeric enzymes. Moreover, enzyme engineering approaches enable enzymes to perform catalysis in sub-optimal environment. Enzymes have been engineered to improve their catalytic properties and enhance operational stability. Designing multifunctional or chimeric enzymes can function simultaneously across diverse operational conditions. Chimeric enzymes enable effective synergistic action of multiple enzymes in the P&P industry. This review aims to provide clear insights into the selective development of chimeric enzymes using enzyme engineering approaches for their effective use in the P&P industry. “The role of hemicellulose and cationic starch in modulating fiber characteristics and paper quality”, Bo Zhang, Shenming Tao, Jianxin Ren, Wuyi Zhou, Zhiguo Wang, Haisong Qi, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules , Vol.320, Part 1, Aug. 2025, 145567. Hemicellulose is a crucial component in pulping and papermaking, significantly influencing fiber and paper properties. This study investigates the effects of hemicellulose content on fiber characteristics and paper performance, as well as the compensatory role of cationic starch. Results show that reducing hemicellulose content (from 22.8% to 2.5%) increases fiber curl (from 8.1% to 19.7%) and kink indices (from 27.5% to 77.3%), leading to greater fiber deformation. Hemicellulose removal also compromises
Technical Abstracts
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