Development of Fluorinated Acrylic Resin‐Based Paper Additives for Simultaneous Strength Improvement and Water Resistance

Paper‐based materials, renowned for their renewability and cost‐effectiveness, face significant limitations in practical applications due to the inherent hydrophilicity of cellulose fibers. To address this challenge, a fluorinated styrene‐acrylate functional sizing agent (CFAA) was synthesized via semi‐continuous seeded emulsion polymerization. This study systematically investigated the influence of hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (G02) content on the emulsion stability and waterproofing‐enhancing performance of CFAA. Advanced characterization techniques, including X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Cobb60 testing, were conducted to evaluate structural and functional modifications of the treated paper. The results demonstrated that the synthesized polymer emulsion successfully formed crosslinked networks with cellulose fibers, achieving remarkable improvements in hydrophobicity (contact angle: 132.8°) and water resistance (Cobb60 value: 14.8 g/m 2 ). Furthermore, the treated paper exhibited enhanced mechanical properties: dry tensile index increased by 65.68%, wet tensile strength improved by 545%, and tear resistance showed a 42.58% increment compared with untreated samples. Comparative analysis with conventional sizing agents (AKD and styrene‐acrylic emulsions) revealed that CFAA delivered superior waterproofing efficiency under wet‐end addition conditions. This work provides an innovative approach to developing dual‐functional paper additives, effectively reconciling the trade‐off between mechanical reinforcement and hydrophobic modification, thereby expanding the application scope of paper‐based materials in high‐performance packaging and industrial applications.