Fardous Mobarak

Mineral fillers have long been used in papermaking. In Egypt, talc has been used, without modifica-tion, as filler or coating for bleached rice straw pulp. For this study, talc was modified chemically with starch, car-boxymethyl cellulose, glycerol, dodecytrimethyammonium bromide, polyacrylamide and poly(vinyl alcohol). Talc is chemically inert; the modification was carried out to change the nature of the native talc. Researchers then studied the mechanical and optical properties for filled and coated papers. The results indicated that modified talc enhances the mechanical and optical properties for filled or coated handsheets. Scanning electron micrographs of the filled and coated sheets were investigated; results of the study showed that talc modification can improve filler-fiber-filler bond.