A set of two rollers located near the end of a papermaking machine's drying section used to apply surface sizing to paper. As the partially-dried paper web travels through the nip of these rollers, a starch solution coats the surface of the paper. Surface sizing is added as a paper fiber sealant, which improves sheet strength and resistance to a variety of stresses. Other materials may be used in addition to or instead of a starch solution to impart different surface sizing characteristics, such as increased resistance to water, ink, oils, or grease.
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