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Abstract: Superhydrophobic alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) layers were successfully produced on top of untreated paper surfaces by a rapid expansion of supercritical CO2 solution (RESS) process. The new method resulted in a degree of hydrophobicity, as measured by contact angles of water droplets on AKD surfaces, dramatically higher, up to 173°, compared to a conventional method consisting in melting AKD granules directly on the paper substrate, giving contact angles of around 109°. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of varying pre-expansion pressure (100–300bar), pre-expansion temperature (40 and 60°C) and spraying distance (10 and 50mm) on the properties of the treated surfaces. The surfaces were analyzed regarding AKD particle size, surface morphology and hydrophobicity with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle measurements. The average AKD particle size after RESS processing was between 1 and 2μm depending upon the experimental conditions used, being slightly smaller when using higher pre-expansion pressure and temperature as well as shorter spraying distance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The alkylketene dimer (AKD) wax dispersion is introduced in the wet-end of a paper machine, and during drying it spreads and anchors to the fiber surface. Direct observation of the surface diffusion of the AKD wax at paper surfaces was obtained using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy imaging technique. An AKD diffusion of approximately 400 μm was observed at a paper surface that was stored for 3 h at 80 °C. This gives a diffusion coefficient of approximately 10−11 m2 s−1. Storage for 1 week at room temperature also showed a remarkable spreading of AKD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]