I. Core Applications

Dicyandiamide is rarely used directly in papermaking. It is mainly reacted with formaldehyde to synthesize resin as a key raw material for papermaking auxiliaries. It has two major applications:

1. Paper auxiliaries: Serves as wet‑strength agent and color‑fixing agent for ordinary tissue paper and packaging paper. It improves wet strength of paper, prevents color bleeding, helps retain pulp fines and fillers, and boosts production efficiency.

2. Wastewater treatment: Modified into decolorizing flocculant specially for papermaking wastewater. It achieves effective decolorization and COD reduction, being its most widely‑used application.

Main drawback: The synthesized resin contains free formaldehyde, failing to meet environmental requirements for food‑grade paper and high‑end tissue paper, hence restricted in application.

II. Latest Industry Updates

1. Ongoing market substitution: With stricter environmental standards, formaldehyde‑free auxiliaries such as PAE are widely replacing traditional dicyandiamide‑formaldehyde auxiliaries. Its market share in high‑end papermaking has shrunk sharply; it is only applied in low‑grade paper products and wastewater treatment.

2. Export restrictions: EU, South Korea and other overseas regions impose strict limits on formaldehyde residue in paper products. Paper treated with dicyandiamide‑based auxiliaries cannot be exported for food‑contact scenarios.

3. Cost fluctuation: Subject to calcium carbide and power prices, dicyandiamide price fluctuates frequently, indirectly affecting production costs of wastewater treatment and low‑grade paper for small‑and‑medium‑sized paper mills.

III. Summary

Dicyandiamide is no longer a mainstream auxiliary raw material in papermaking. Wastewater treatment remains its core rigid‑demand segment within the papermaking sector, and its overall papermaking‑related demand keeps decreasing year by year.