(365f) Measurements of the Mechanical Properties of Paper

Paper is a complex structure composed of randomly oriented fibers whose length is 10 times longer than the thickness of paper. The mechanical properties of paper change on aging with the paper becoming brittle and the molecular weight of cellulose decreasing. The mechanism of failure also changes on aging from interfiber bond failure to fiber failure (chain scission). In this work, the results of macroscopic mechanical tests including tensile tests, bending tests, fold tests and single fiber tests are compared for new, aged, and humidified paper.