Preparation and characterization of corn starch–calcium carbonate hybrid pigments

•A new method to integrate corn starch and CaCO3 into a hybrid pigment was developed.•Raw materials are available and economical and technique is industrially feasible.•Allows the amount of starch in paper to be increased without process interferences.•Enables the use of unmodified corn starch instead of expensive modified starch in paper.•Developed hybrid pigment gives unique paper properties.