Stickies (papermaking)

When recycling post-consumer paper, stickies are tacky substances contained in the

Stickies are an indefinite mixture of organic compounds, with the main part being different esters. The components might stem from:^[3]

• Printing inks
• Coating binders (synthetic latex)
• Waxes
• Hot melt adhesive and unsupported pressure-sensitive adhesives
• Plastics
• Wet strength resins
• Pitch
• Papermaking additives

Properties

Stickies that pass through a slotted plate screen of 0.10 - 0.15 mm are called micro stickies. Micro stickies can be finely dispersed (100

Stickies often have thermoplastic properties.

Chemical-physical alterations like pH, temperature and charge changes might cause colloidal destabilization and agglomeration of micro stickies.

Stickies control

Several control methods are used:

• Alteration of the physical properties, like using recycling-friendly paper coatings
• Avoidance of troublesome components that cause stickies
• Removal by more effective deinking processes, like improved screening, cleaning, washing and flotation
• Passivation with process additives like fixation agents
• Prevention by washing wires or protecting equipment parts with chemicals.
• Measuring stickies using TAPPI method T274 and T277

References