Enhancing physical performance and hydrophobicity of paper-based cellulosic material via impregnation with starch and PEI-KH560

The exploitation of light-weight paper-based cellulosic materials (PBCM) is beneficial for protecting the environment, cutting production cost and improving utilization efficiency of cellulose. In this study, a simple reaction using PEI (Polyethyleneimine) and KH560 was reported to improve the physical performance and hydrophobicity of PBCM. FTIR spectra indicated that the epoxide group of KH560 disappeared during reaction with PEI. Physical properties and hydrophobicity of the dried PBCM were determined after impregnation with the mixture of enzymatic starch and PEI-KH560. Compared with the control, the dry tensile index, wet tensile index and folding endurance of PBCM were increased by 27.1, 61.4 and 137.5%, respectively, when the dosage of PEI-KH560 was 1.35%. If starch (6.35 g/m²) was added together with PEI-KH560 (1.35%), the dry tensile index could increase by 98.6%. The pH and alkaline reserve value of PBCM were also improved. The addition of PEI-KH560 improved the thermal stability of starch, thus was beneficial for the increase of thermal stability of PBCM. This novel method adopted in this study to improve the physical performance, hydrophobicity and alkaline reserve value of PBCM provided a cost-efficient and simple way to broaden its potential application fields.