Effect Of Increased Coating Weight on Print Characteristics of Various Paper Stocks

The research delved into the collective impact of calendaring and coat weight on the optical, surface, and printing characteristics of coated papers. K control bar coater was employed to apply coatings containing blends of paper coating pigments—Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC), clay, and Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC)—in ratios of 60:40:00 and 60:00:40, while maintaining a constant amount of additives. Various calendaring roll nips were utilized to examine how calendaring affected papers coated with different pigment blends. The findings revealed that coatings with PCC exhibited heightened bulk and opacity. Sheets with PCC displayed greater brightness compared to those with clay. While the gloss improvement effect was somewhat less pronounced in PCC coatings compared to clay, the impact of calendaring on ink holdout and paper surface strength was minor, yet more favorable for coatings containing PCC. Notably, a significant enhancement in print gloss was observed with higher proportions of PCC in the paper coating. Additionally, increasing coating weight contributed to the augmentation of desired properties.