HOME ASK HARRY

Q.1091: Is papermaking a physical or chemical change?

Ans. Papermaking is a series of physical and chemical changes. The physical and chemical changes will depends on raw material used and grade of paper manufactured. For a typical north American paper mill which uses wood for making copying paper, following changes will take place.

Operation Type of Change
Logging Physical
Barking (Removal of bark) Physical
Chipping Physical
Screening Physical
Cooking Chemical
Washing Physical
Chemical Recovery Chemical
Bleaching Chemical
Washing Physical
Refining Physical
Sizing Chemical & Physical
Screening Physical
Cleaning Physical
Wet-end chemical addition Chemical & Physical
Sheet Formation Physical
Pressing Physical
Drying Physical
Calendaring Physical
Winding Physical
Rewinding Physical
Cutting Physical

Previous         Next