Abstract
Surface characterization is important and has many applications in the paper industry. It includes both surface roughness and surface friction. In determining the surface roughness of paper and paperboard, non-contact methods such as air-leak methods In characterizing the surface roughness of paper and paperboard, it has been a common practice that the average roughness with the coefficient of variation (COV) has been conventionally determined. This practice, however, this runs the risk of drawing wrong conclusions since two different surfaces having the same average roughness and COV can exhibit totally different properties. To avoid such mistake, a stylus-type contact method has been developed to determine surface roughness of paper and paperboard such as printing & writing (P&W), kraft and liners. In this method, surface roughness profile has been generated to determine its variability which has been defined as the mean deviation from the roughness average, referred to as MDRA. In determining the MDRA, it is noted that thickness measurement is not required. In this method, stylus shape and size, contact force of the stylus to the surface, scan speed and resolution have been identified as the key parameters of generating stable surface roughness profiles. It has been further identified that the optimal conditions on these parameters should depend on paper grade. It is suggested that a stylus-type contact method should be used to determine surface roughness of paper and paperboard to help determine their practical applications such as printing, coating and embossing.
Absolute optical thickness measurement of transparent plate using excess fraction method and wavelength-tuning Fizeau interferometer
