SCE3103 Exploring Materials

TOPIC 15

NATURAL MATERIALS- PAPER

Synopsis We use many products made from paper. In this topic you will learn about different types of paper, their properties, the process of making paper and the uses of paper in our daily life. Learning Outcomes

1. 2. 3. 4.

State the types of paper State the properties of paper Explain the process of making paper State the uses of paper in our daily life

OVERVIEW

Figure 15.1 Overview of content CONTENT The word paper derives from the Greek term for the ancient Egyptian writing material called papyrus, which was formed from beaten strips of papyrus plants. Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon or packaging.

15.1

Types of paper

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Paper is a material that can be obtained in various types that differ in thickness and weight. Some types of paper include: Bank paper Book paper Inkjet paper pH indicator paper Photographic paper Plain paper Recycled paper Rice paper Paper towels Wall paper Wax paper Sand paper Coated paper (glossy and matt surface) Plain paper Newsprint

15.2

Properties of Paper

We use paper everyday. Its usefulness is due to its unique properties such as:

Basis Weight (GSM) Brightness, Whiteness and Colour Dimensional Stability Folding Endurance (Double Folds) Formation Gloss Machine and Cross Direction Moisture Opacity Porosity Sizing / Cobb Smoothness Stiffness Stretch (Elongation) Tearing Resistance Temperature and Humidity: Conditioning of Paper Thickness Wax Pick No. (Surface Strength) Wire side and Felt side

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Making Notes (2 hours)

To get a better understanding of each of the properties of paper listed above, read the article in the following website: http://www.biltpaper.com/atoz2.asp . Make short notes on each of the properties of paper.

15.3

Process of making paper

Paper is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically vegetable fibers composed of cellulose, which are held together by hydrogen bonds, and drying them into flexible sheets. While the fibers used are usually natural in origin, a wide variety of synthetic fibers, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, may be incorporated into paper as a way of imparting desirable physical properties. The most common source of these kinds of fibers is wood pulp from pulpwood trees, largely softwoods and hardwoods, such as spruce and aspen respectively. Other vegetable fiber materials including those of cotton, hemp, linen, and rice may be used. The steps in the process of making paper are:

Fiber processing / pulping using chemical pulping or mechanical pulping Adding additives Drying Finishing

Fiber processing/pulping Wood or plant cell walls are composed of fibers bound together. During pulping, these fibers are separated from each other and carbohydrate surfaces, primarily cellulose or hemi-cellulose are exposed. Hydrogen bonding between these carbohydrate surfaces gives paper its strength. Fibers can be separated chemically, mechanically, or via a combination of the two. Chemical pulping The purpose of a chemical pulping process is to break down the chemical structure of lignin and render it soluble in the cooking liquor, so that it may be washed from the cellulose fibers. Because lignin holds the plant cells together, chemical pulping frees the fibers and makes pulp. The pulp must be bleached to produce white paper for printing, painting and writing. Chemical pulps tend to cost more than mechanical pulps, largely due to the low yield, 40-50% of the original wood. Since the process preserves fiber

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length, however, chemical pulps tend to make stronger paper. Another advantage of chemical pulping is that the majority of the heat and electricity needed to run the process is produced by burning the lignin removed during pulping. Mechanical pulping There are two major mechanical pulps, thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and mechanical pulp. The latter is known in the USA as groundwood pulp. In the TMP process, wood is chipped and then fed into large steam-heated refiners where the chips are squeezed and fiberised between two steel discs. In the groundwood process, debarked logs are fed into grinders where they are pressed against rotating stones and fiberised. Mechanical pulping does not remove the lignin, so the yield is very high, more than 95%, but also causes paper made from this pulp to yellow and become brittle over time. Mechanical pulps have rather short fiber lengths and produce weak paper. Although large amounts of electrical energy are required to produce mechanical pulp, it costs less than chemical pulp. Additives Besides the fibers, pulps may contain fillers such as chalk or china clay, which improve the characteristics of the paper for printing or writing. Additives for sizing purposes may be mixed into the pulp and/or applied to the paper web later in the manufacturing process. The purpose of sizing is to establish the correct level of surface absorbency to suit the ink or paint. Drying After the paper web is produced, the water must be removed from it in order to create a usable product. This is accomplished through pressing and drying. The methods of doing so vary between the different processes used to make paper, but the concepts remain the same. Pressing the sheet removes the water by force. Once the water is forced from the sheet, another absorbent material must be used to collect this water. On a paper machine this is called a felt. When making paper by hand, a blotter sheet is used. Drying involves using air and or heat to remove water from the paper sheet. In the earliest days of papermaking this was done by hanging the paper sheets like laundry. In more modern times, various forms of heated drying mechanisms are used. The most common is the steam-heated can dryer. These dryer cans heat to temperatures above 200F (93C) and are used in long sequences of more than 40 cans. The heat produced by these can easily dry the paper to less than 6% moisture. Finishing The paper may then undergo sizing to alter its physical properties for use in various applications. Paper at this point is uncoated. Coated paper has a thin layer of material such as china clay applied to one or both sides in order to create a surface more suitable for high-resolution half-tone screens. Coated or uncoated papers may have their surfaces polished by calendering. Coated papers are divided into matt, semi-matt or silk, and gloss.

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The paper is then fed onto reels if it is to be used on web printing presses, or cut into sheets for other printing processes or other purposes. The fibers in the paper basically run in the machine direction. Sheets are usually cut "long-grain", i.e. with the grain parallel to the longer dimension of the sheet. All paper produced by Fourdrinier-type machines is wove paper, i.e. the wire mesh that transports the web leaves a pattern that has the same density along the paper grain and across the grain. Wove paper does not exhibit "laidlines", which are small regular lines left behind on paper when it was handmade in a mould made from rows of metal wires or bamboo. Handmade paper similarly exhibits "deckle edges", or rough and feathery borders. 15.4 Uses of paper

Paper is a versatile material with many uses. Whilst the most common is for writing and printing upon, it is also widely used as a packaging material, in many cleaning products, and in a number of industrial and construction processes, and occasionally as a food ingredient, particularly in Asian cultures. Paper can be produced with a wide variety of properties, depending on its intended use, such as:

To write or print on: the piece of paper becomes a document; this may be for keeping a record (or in the case of printing from a computer or copying from another paper: an additional record) and for communication. To represent a value: paper money, bank note, cheque, voucher, ticket For entertainment: book, magazine, newspaper, art For packaging: corrugated box, paper bag, envelope, wrapping tissue, wallpaper For cleaning : toilet paper, handkerchiefs, paper towels, facial tissue For construction : paper Mache, origami, quiling, paper engineering, clothing Other uses: sandpaper, blotting paper, litmus paper, universal indicator paper, paper chromatography, electrical insulation paper, filter paper

Figure 15.4 Uses of paper (Source: http://images.google.com)

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Exercise (2 hours)

Access the internet to gather information and to compare and contrast the properties of different types of paper and their uses in daily life.

Thinking (10 hours)

We can reuse paper by recycling it. Make your own recycled paper. Go to the internet for suggestions on how to make recycled paper. This website http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/how_is_it_recycled/pa per/ may be helpful. Create a useful item using the recycled paper you have made. Organise a mini science exhibition to present the process of recycling paper and the products made from the recycled paper. Keep a photograph journal of the exhibition. At the end of the activity, answer the following questions: What have you learnt from this activity? Which part of the primary science curriculum teaches this topic on paper? Discuss how you can use this activity in your teaching and learning. What was the role of the teacher in this activity?

References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper (paper) http://www.writersservices.com/wbs/care_history_paper.htm (History of paper making)

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http://www.writersservices.com/wbs/care_storing_books.htm (how to store books) http://www.biltpaper.com/atoz2.asp (properties of paper) http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/how_is_it_recycled/paper/ (recycling of paper) http://www.paperonweb.com/pmake.htm (processing paper) http://www.geocities.com/kirktayl/ (how to organise a science exhibition) http://www.paperonweb.com/density.htm (properties of paper)