APPLICATIONS OF THE SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE TO THE STUDY OF AUSTRALIAN NEWSPRINT MILLS PAPERS - PRODUCT EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT

Using the scanning electron microscope, Australian Newsprint Mills pap ers and other samples are studied by means of images showing either to pographical or atomic number contrast, and chemical information from e mitted X-rays generated by scanning the sample with a beam of electron s. Examples of topographical images discussed include the study of pap er sheet surfaces and the cross-section structure, and changes in thes e properties with varying process parameters; improvements in sheet qu ality resulting from investment in plant up-grades; and investigation of the relationship between paper structure and its performance in pre ssrooms. Atomic number contrast images are used in product development , for example, to study the distribution of clay in surface coatings o ver base stock. Another typical application is to highlight particles of possible different chemical composition for further characterizatio n by X-ray microanalysis.