Pressure continues from both the public and private sectors to increase paper recycling in all high volume grades. In newsprint, the pressure is to increase recycled ONP from the current level of 40% to a higher value. Meanwhile, through the past decade, a shift is occurring from letterpress to offset printing. Offset press speed is increasing and better print quality is being achieved. These achievements have been attained using inks having greater ink-fiber adhesion.
To maintain pace with higher fiber bond strength inks, new deinking agents, high alcohol block copolymer types are entering the market. These block copolymers make it possible to increase brightness, reduce residual ink and ultimately produce high quality recycled paper.
The properties of the new high-alcohol EOPO block copolymer type and the results of a comparative analysis to the high-alcohol EO/PO random copolymer and fatty acid types are reported.