JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 2026, VOL. 23, NO. 1, 2622995 https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2026.2622995
A Review on Current Progress of Nano Additives in Pulp and Paper: Processing, Characterization and Applications Mohamad Nurul Azman Mohammad Taib a , Areisman Salleh b , and Zayd C. Leseman c,d a Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; b Paper Testing Lab, Forest Product, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia; c Interdisciplinary Research Center for Advanced Materials, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; d Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
ABSTRACT The pulp and paper products have issues regarding their physical, mechanical, and barrier properties during processes and prolonged storage before being utilized by consumers. Nano additives are an alternative compared to micro-sized commercial additives used in industry because of their high aspect ratio and available surface area to be bonded with pulp and paper products. The incorporation of nano additives such as nanocellulose, nano-clays, carbon-based nanomaterials, and metal oxide nanoparticles offers tremendous potential to enhance mechanical strength, barrier performance, antimicrobial and other functional properties of paper products while reducing reliance on chemical additives. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in the utilization of nano additives in pulp and papermaking, covering proces- sing methods, surface functionalization strategies, integration approaches, and their influence on paper performance. Special attention is given to the interaction between nano additives and fiber matrices, dispersion challenges, and scalable processing tech- niques. The manuscript also highlights current limitations in nano additives application, including compatibility with industrial systems, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact. Finally, future recommendations and industrial implementation opportunities are discussed, positioning nanofillers as a pivotal component in the advancement of next-generation paper-based materials. 纸浆和纸制品在加工过程中以及在消费者使用前的长期储存过程中，在物理、机械 和阻隔性能方面存在问题 . 与工业中使用的微米级商业添加剂相比，纳米添加剂是一 种替代品，因为它们具有高纵横比和可与纸浆和纸制品粘合的表面积 . 纳米纤维素、 纳米粘土、碳基纳米材料和金属氧化物纳米粒子等纳米添加剂的加入为提高纸制品 的机械强度、阻隔性能、抗菌性和其他功能性能提供了巨大的潜力，同时减少了对 化学添加剂的依赖 . 本文综述了纳米添加剂在制浆造纸中的应用进展，包括加工方 法、表面功能化策略、集成方法及其对纸张性能的影响 . 特别关注纳米添加剂和纤维 基质之间的相互作用、分散挑战和可扩展的加工技术 . 该手稿还强调了纳米添加剂应 用的当前局限性，包括与工业系统的兼容性、成本效益和环境影响 . 最后，讨论了未 来的建议和工业实施机会，将纳米填料定位为下一代纸基材料发展的关键组成部分 .
KEYWORDS green material; kraft pulping; lignocellulosic; Nano additive; nanomaterial; pulp and paper !"# 绿色材料 ; 硫酸盐制浆 ; 木 质纤维素 ; 纳米添加剂 ; 纳 米材料 ; 纸浆和纸张
Introduction The pulp and paper industry is considered one of the most important in the world, with demand exceeding 423 million tons a year (Julkapli and Bagheri 2016). The demand forecast will increase in the coming decades. Based on statistics, the highest consumers of pulp and paper come from Asia, followed by the USA and European countries. The production for Asian markets is more than 40%, while the rest is estimated to come from around 30% of Europe and another 25% from North America (Julkapli and Bagheri 2016). Paper is mainly made from cellulosic fibers that are derived from bioresources, including wood and non-woody lignocellulosic materials (Pydimalla, Vamsi Chirravuri, and Naidu Uttaravalli 2023). In paper manufactur- ing, it involves several stages, including material preparation, pulp manufacturing, bleaching, paper manufacturing, and fiber recycling (Deshwal, Raju Panjagari, and Alam 2019; Eugenio et al. 2019; Haile
CONTACT Mohamad Nurul Azman Mohammad Taib (IAS), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
aman.peace04@gmail.com; azman_88@um.edu.my
Institute for Advanced Studies
© 2026 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator