Physicomechanical properties of paper treated with polymers

Bleached mechanical pulp and kraft bagasse paper sheets bleached with alkal ine hydrogen peroxide were treated with polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl a lcohol. Mechanical properties of the treated sheets with polyethylene glyco l deteriorated but improved by treating them with polyvinyl alcohol. The de terioration and improvement in the mechanical properties increase by increa sing the concentration of the polymer solution. Improvement in the mechanic al pulp sheets had a higher percentage increase than the bagasse sheets. Br ightness of the sheets treated with polyethylene glycol was more stable whe n aged than untreated sheets and those treated,vith polyvinyl alcohol. Shee ts treated sheets with a mixture of polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcoh ol improved not only the mechanical properties hut also the stability of th e brightness of the treated sheets on ageing.