Japanese Firm Develops Water/Heat-Resistant Paper

A water- and heat-resistant paper named "Choetsu-shi" (super-paper), has been developed by Kazari-ichi Co. in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. The maker and distributor of New Year's paper decorations has perfected a way to give paper new features by coating paper with a glassy thin film at normal temperature.

The new technology employs a sol-gel process to produce the paper coated with a thin film resistant to heat, water, weather, chemicals and abrasion, which contains siloxane bonds, stable and hard inorganic bonds. This method can be applied to any type of paper. Moreover, various effects and features can be obtained depending on kinds of paper, fiber length and the density and ingredient mix of coating materials.

Free from dioxin emissions when incinerated, the new paper produces little additional environmental burden when recycled or discarded after use. It can be recycled as paper, since the glassy coating applied is so thin.

The company started full-scale research on the material in May 2005, and registered its trademark in August 2001. Expecting to expand its applications to various products as a plastic substitute, with other parties the company is jointly developing petri dishes for use in medical fields, as well as food packaging sheets, and multifunctional fibers.



Posted: 2005/09/12 01:57:51 PM
Japanese version