THE FURNISH DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES .2. SHEET PROPERTIES

A study of process influences has shown that thermomechanical pulps of higher (slabwood) and lower (thinnings) coarseness fibres behave diff erently in the development of their sheet properties when their long f ibre is selectively refined. This difference is attributed to their co ntrasting fibre wall thicknesses and improvement in fibre compliabilit y (flexibility) with refining. Thinnings, but not slabwood, furnishes containing refined long fibre require less refining energy and have be tter sheet smoothness than their directly-refined whole pulps. Pulp ha ndsheet and offset printability quality waas determined.