# Paper bio-dry-strength agents Bio-based dry-strength additives — cationic and thermally modified starches, cellulosic polymers and refining enzymes — that restore fiber-bonding strength in recycled-content paper and board while displacing synthetic polyacrylamide chemistry. Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/paper-bio-dry-strength-agents/ Updated: 2026-08-18 ## Overview and value chain Markers: [EC: EU PPWR / Effluent Guidelines | OECD: Industrial biotechnology | Regulator: EPA (USA), REACH (EU)] Paper bio-dry-strength agents are wet-end and surface additives of biological origin — modified starches, carboxymethyl cellulose and other cellulosic polymers, refining enzymes and biopolymer resins — dosed at 0.5–2% on dry fiber to rebuild the hydrogen-bond network that gives paper its tensile, burst and short-span compressive strength. They are the structural answer to two pressures on the industry at once: the collapse of fresh-fiber quality as recycled content rises toward 100% in containerboard and tissue, and the regulatory and brand-driven drive to replace fossil, non-biodegradable polyacrylamide (PAM) dry-strength resins. A well-tuned bio-starch program lifts tensile and short-span compressive strength by 20–40% and lets a mill raise filler or recycled-fiber loading by 5–15 percentage points without losing runnability, while enzymatic refining pre-treatment cuts refining energy by 15–30%. Key directions of paper bio-dry-strength agents: 1. **Cationic & thermally modified starch (Cationic/Thermally Modified Starch):** the dominant bio-based DSA, cooked and dosed at the wet end or size press to add 20–40% tensile on recycled liner. 2. **Cellulosic polymers & nanocellulose (Cellulosic Polymers/Nanocellulose):** CMC, micro- and nano-fibrillated cellulose that form bond-bridges between fibers, raising Scott-bond and surface strength and enabling higher filler loadings. 3. **Enzyme-assisted refining & strength (Enzyme-Assisted Refining):** cellulase and amylase treatments that cut refining energy 15–30% while preserving fiber length, often layered with a starch program. 4. **Biopolymer & biomass-balanced resins (Biopolymer/Biomass-Balanced Resins):** chitosan, guar, alginate and biomass-balanced strength resins that displace fossil PAM and are fully compatible with the paper-recycling loop. ### Sectoral value chain ``` [starch/biomass] ──> [modification] ──> [wet-end dosing] ──> [sheet forming] │ │ (cook / enzyme) (press + dry) │ │ ▼ ▼ [strength-tested paper] <─── [strength development] <───── [recycle loop] ``` ### Value chain levels | Level | Description | Key inputs/outputs | |:---|:---|:---| | **Feedstock sourcing** | corn, potato, tapioca starch and cellulosic side-streams | **In:** grain, wood cellulose. **Out:** native starch, pulp. | | **Starch/polymer modification** | cationization, thermal modification, CMC/NFC refining | **In:** native starch, reagents. **Out:** DSA product. | | **Wet-end chemistry dosing** | cooked starch, enzyme and biopolymer dosing to stock | **In:** DSA, enzyme, furnish. **Out:** treated stock. | | **Sheet forming & pressing** | fourdrinier/former forming and wet-pressing | **In:** treated stock, water. **Out:** wet web. | | **Drying & strength development** | drying cylinders and size-press surface starch | **In:** wet web, steam. **Out:** strength paper. | | **Quality & effluent control** | tensile/bond testing and COD/BOD effluent management | **In:** paper, effluent. **Out:** QC data, treated water. | Cross-cutting technologies of the sector: - **Jet-cook & on-site starch preparation (Jet-Cook Starch Prep):** continuous starch cooking for stable wet-end viscosity. - **Enzymatic refining control (Enzymatic Refining Control):** cellulase dosing tuned to freeness targets. - **Real-time wet-end sensors (Real-Time Wet-End Sensors):** charge, retention and strength feedback for closed-loop DSA dosing. --- ## US The US concentrates strength-chemistry innovation in the large recycled-containerboard and tissue sectors, where bio-based starch programs are the default route to strength on 100% recycled furnish. ### recycled containerboard, tissue strength, enzymatic refining - **Solenis BioBond & Dry Strength Program:** renewable starch-based strength programs documented to raise containerboard quality on low-grade recycled furnish. - **Buckman Smarter Strength:** enzyme-plus-digital program layering Ackumen ECHOWISE Pro real-time sensing with targeted enzymatic and starch dosing. - **Effluent Guidelines & TSCA:** EPA regulation of wet-end chemical discharges drives the shift away from residual acrylamide monomer toward starch and biopolymer DSAs. --- ## CN China is both the largest paper and board producer and the fastest-growing market for bio-based strength additives, with domestic biomass-chemistry players supplying modified starch and furan/biomass-platform strength resins to the recycled-packaging sector. ### recycled packaging, biomass-platform chemistry, domestic supply - **Shandong Shengquan Group:** biomass-platform supplier (listed SSE: 605589) producing biomass-based paper additives alongside its furfural and phenolic-resin lines. - **Market growth:** Chinese market analyses list biomass and modified-starch dry-strength agents among the fastest-growing wet-end segments through 2032. - **MARA & GB standards:** national standard framework for food-contact and industrial starch additives frames the modification chemistry permitted in paper-contact grades. --- ## EU The EU leads on the regulatory pull — recyclability and fiber-based packaging substitution — that makes bio-based strength chemistry a strategic input for corrugated and containerboard. ### recyclability mandate, biomass-balanced chemistry, starch supply - **Kemira FennoBond™ & biomass-balanced additives:** Finnish chemistry house whose FennoBond dry-strength line (777E for tissue) sits alongside biomass-balanced wet- and dry-strength additives that cut fossil carbon in the strength program. - **Roquette STABILYS® thermally modified starch:** dedicated paper-bioindustry starch portfolio for industrial strength applications. - **EU PPWR & REACH:** the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation's recyclability requirements and REACH chemical registration are the twin drivers displacing fossil PAM with starch and biopolymer DSAs. --- ## Leading companies and research institutes | Company / Institute | Country | Key products / platforms | Tech features | Status 2026 | |:---|:---|:---|:---|:---| | **Kemira** | 🇫🇮 Finland | *FennoBond™ dry-strength (e.g. 777E) / biomass-balanced additives* | Starch & polymeric DSA, biomass-balanced carbon | Commercial | | **Roquette** | 🇫🇷 France | *STABILYS® thermally modified starch* | Paper-bioindustry starch, hydrophobic integrity | Commercial | | **Solenis** | 🇺🇸 USA | *BioBond / Dry Strength Program* | Renewable starch strength on recycled containerboard | Commercial | | **Buckman Laboratories** | 🇺🇸 USA | *Smarter Strength + Ackumen ECHOWISE Pro* | Enzyme-assisted refining, real-time digital dosing | Commercial | | **Shandong Shengquan Group** | 🇨🇳 China | *Biomass-based paper strength additives* | Furfural/biomass platform, bio-strength resins | Commercial | --- ## Tech stack and innovations The bio-dry-strength stack is built on starch chemistry, enzymatic fiber conditioning and closed-loop wet-end control. 1. **Cationic & thermally modified starch (Cationic/Thermally Modified Starch):** - cooked at 90–95 °C and dosed at 0.5–2% on dry fiber to add 20–40% tensile. - case: Roquette STABILYS® A040 thermally modified starch for industrial paper-bioindustry strength. 2. **Enzyme-assisted refining & strength (Enzyme-Assisted Refining):** - cellulase and amylase treatment cuts refining energy 15–30% at target freeness. - case: Buckman Smarter Strength layering Ackumen ECHOWISE Pro sensing with targeted enzymes. 3. **Biomass-balanced & biopolymer resins (Biomass-Balanced/Biopolymer Resins):** - biomass-balanced and renewable-carbon strength resins displace fossil PAM. - case: Kemira FennoBond™ 777E and biomass-balanced strength additives; Solenis BioBond renewable starch program. --- ## Value chains and production pipelines ### Industrial pipeline of a bio dry-strength program (TAPPI T 494 / ISO 1924) ``` ┌───────────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ 1. Starch/biomass feed │ ───> │ 2. Modification & cooking │ └───────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘ │ ▼ ┌───────────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ 4. Sheet forming & press │ <─── │ 3. Wet-end dosing │ └───────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘ │ ▼ ┌───────────────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ 5. Drying & strength dev │ ───> │ 6. Strength QC & effluent │ └───────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────┘ ``` #### Stage 1: Starch/biomass feed Corn, potato or tapioca starch and cellulosic side-streams are received as the bio-based feedstock for the strength additive. #### Stage 2: Modification & cooking Native starch is cationized or thermally modified (e.g. STABILYS® A040), or cellulosic polymer is refined to CMC/NFC, then jet-cooked to a stable wet-end viscosity. #### Stage 3: Wet-end dosing The bio-DSA is dosed at 0.5–2% on dry fiber to the stock, often with a refining enzyme, under real-time charge and retention sensing. #### Stage 4: Sheet forming & press The treated furnish is formed on a fourdrinier or former and wet-pressed; the modified starch is retained on the fibers to build the bonding network. #### Stage 5: Drying & strength development The web passes the drying cylinders and, where used, the size press for surface starch, developing the tensile, burst and short-span compressive strength. #### Stage 6: Strength QC & effluent Tensile (TAPPI T 494 / ISO 1924) and Scott-bond are verified, and the lower residual-acrylamide effluent is managed under EPA Effluent Guidelines and REACH.