Silica-coated precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) prepared by a sol-gel method in a previous study, was used, for the first time, as filler for papermaking. Three samples of modified PCC, containing 11 wt%, 21 wt% and 29 wt% of silica, were prepared. The handsheets produced with an eucalyptus kraft pulp furnish containing the new PCC-based materials showed better paper strength properties than those with the unmodified PCC, whereas the structural properties and brightness were not affected (for similar filler retention values (ca. 80%)). The results suggest that a thin film of silica coating the calcium carbonate crystals has a positive impact on the filler-to-fiber-to-filler bonding. This may open a new possibility to increase the filler amount in the papermaking industry.
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