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The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of treatment using hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers on mechanical properties and/or water absorption of paper sheets.

Paper sheets produced from paper grade wood pulp were dipped in polyacrylamide (PAA), polymethylmethacrylate (PMM) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer solutions, respectively. The effects of using different polymer solutions (PAA, PMM and PVA), as well as the effects of dipping time (1, 5 and 10 min) and concentration of polymer (0.5, 1, 2 and 3 per cent), on the mechanical properties as well as water absorption of paper sheets were investigated.

It was found that the treatment of paper sheets with different polymer solutions improved mechanical properties as well as water absorption of paper sheets when the polymer concentration was below 1 per cent and the dipping time did not exceed 5 min.

Paper sheets resulting from treatment using hydrophilic polymers can be used as printing papers as the printability improves because water absorption improves, while paper sheets resulting from using hydrophobic polymers can be used for packaging because water adsorption is less and breaking length improved.

Improving some mechanical properties and/or water absorption of paper sheets. The improvement of dipped sheets increased by increasing dipping time till 5 min and by increasing polymer concentration till 1 per cent. Utilisation of PAA led to best results especially when it was hydrolysed.