Alternative ASA Technology, PaperCon '09 Conference

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The most common alkaline sizing agents being used in the paper industry are alkyl ketene dimers (AKD), neutral rosin, and the alkenyl succinic anhydrides (ASA).

AKD and neutral rosin size usually are shipped ready to use, the only requirement is a simple pump skid to deliver the sizing agent to the addition point. The reactivity of these technologies is slow, requiring time and high temperature for complete cure on the fiber. The other sizing agent widely used is ASA. Due to the fast reaction rate ASA must be emulsified at the mill site; the emulsification unit is complex and expensive limiting the use of ASA to large accounts that can justify the capital investment.