Effect of papaya latex bio-activators on the morphological changes of recycled pulp fiber and paper properties: A progress towards green technology.

It is essential to use enzymes as a substituting chemical to enhance the properties of pulp and paper. However, there is a limited match between the material and the enzymes applied. Therefore, this research aims to increase pulp and paper properties enzymatically by adding papaya latex bio-activator in the recycled pulp process using the hydrolyzing method. The results showed that this bio-activator made the fiber bulky due to the storage of more water in the pulp, thereby expanding the fiber surface, which facilitated tearing and increasing fibrillation in the refining process. This process led to changes in the surface morphology of fiber and structure of pulp fibers, which were determined from the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) test. It also increased fiber fibrillation, which led to a rise in bond strength between fibers capable of raising paper properties. In conclusion, papaya latex bio-activator reduces the use of chemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), increases fibrillation in the refining process and reduces environmental liquid waste pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]