One‐layer systemSince this study aims to reduce the overall latex binder in the coating formulation, we set a 10 pph binder as the upper limit for the amount of latex to use in the coating formula- tions. Figure 4 shows the pick velocity values for the 7 and 10 pph binder obtained using the one-layer coating systems. At the 7 pph binder, all-cationic coating had twice the pick strength of the all-anionic coating as evidenced by pick velocities of 2.5 ± 0.1 and 1.1 ± 0.2 m/s, respectively. More importantly, the 7 pph all-cationic formulation produced equivalent coating strength to a coating produced using an all-anionic formulation at 10 pph binder (pick velocities of 2.5 ± 0.1 and 2.6 ± 0.2 m/s, respectively). This showed that we achieved the goal of obtaining coating strength at lower binder levels. Note that the strength for the 7 pph all-cationic coating as well as 10 pph all-cationic and anionic coatings was about the same value. This is because the failure for these three occurred in the paper and not in the coating as paper fibers were exposed after the pick test. In the case of the 7 pph binder all-anionic coating, failure occurred within the coating layer.