The influence of dextran molecular weight on the dry strength of dextran-impregnated paper

Polymers used to enhance the strength of papers, may be added either at the wet end or applied to the dry sheet in a coating operation. In the former, the polymer can cover the fiber surfaces before fiber/fiber bond formation but retention is a problem. With recent advances in size press coating, interest has arisen in treating paper with small volumes of polymer solutions for increased surface strength. This paper aims to determine the role of the molecular weight of carbohydrate polymers used to increase paper strength.