INFLUENCE OF WATER ON THE ELASTIC-MODULUS OF PAPER .2. VERIFICATION OF PREDICTIONS OF THE H-BOND THEORY

In Part 1, an extension of the theory of hydrogen-bond-dominated solid s was proposed. In Part 2, the predictions of the extended theory are tested statistically using recently reported measurements of elastic m oduli for 24 papers over a wide range of moisture contents. Moduli wer e reported both quasi-statically and ultrasonically. Statistical analy sis shows that the effect of moisture in lowering the elastic modulus of paper is greater when the modulus is measured quasi-statically. The rate of decrease in the logarithm of modulus with moisture content wh en measured sonically is about 75% of the rate of decrease measured qu asi-statically. The ratio of the two measured moduli for an isotropica lly equivalent paper is statistically indistinguishable from a ratio o btained from measurements of the effectiveness of water in reducing th ese elastic moduli. This supports one of the new predictions of the ex tended H-bond theory proposed in Part 1.