Nanofibrillated cellulose as an additive in papermaking process

During the last two decades, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have emerged as a promising, sustainable reinforcement with outstanding potential in material sciences. Though application of CNF in papermaking is recent, it is expected to find implementation in the near future to give a broader commercial market to this type of cellulose. The present chapter highlights recent progress in the field of the application of CNFs as additives in papermaking. The effect of CNF addition on the wet-end process is analyzed. Significant improvement in paper’s overall properties after CNF addition depends not only on the type and amount of CNF applied, but also in the pulp’s origin and treatment. Bulk and surface application of CNF also present significant differences regarding paper’s final properties.