The use of non-wood fibers in the paper industry has been an economical and environmental necessity.
The application of dry–strength agents has been a successful method to enhance the strength properties
of paper. The experimental results evidencing the potential of chitosan and cationic starch utilization
in bagasse paper subjected to hot water pre-extraction has been presented in this paper. The research
analyzes the surface properties alterations due to these dry–strength agents. Inverse gas chromatography
was used to evaluate the properties of surface chemistry of the papers namely the surface energy,
active sites, surface area as well as the acidic/basic character. The results of the study revealed that the
handsheets process causes surface arrangement and orientation of chemical groups, which induce a more
hydrophobic and basic surface. The acid–base surface characteristics after the addition of dry–strength
agents were the same as the bagasse handsheets with and without hot water pre-extraction. The results
showed that the dry–strength agent acts as a protecting film or glaze on the surfaces of bagasse paper
handsheets.