The effect of water softening calcium carbonate on the fluting paper properties from OCC and NSSC

As a result of water treatment and during the water softening and hardness reducing process, calcium carbonate deposits with other impurities produced, collected and buried as mineral sludge. This study was done to investigate the effect of using calcium carbonate filler (as a byproduct of water treatment process in Mazandaran wood and paper mill) on strength properties of fluting paper produced from both old corrugated container (OCC) and neutral sulfite semi chemical(NSSC) pulps. Calcium carbonate added to the pulps at levels of 5, 10 and 15 percentage of bone dry weight of paper. The air resistant with the tensile index, burst index, tear index and resistant to fluting of handsheets were measured and compared to control handsheets (samples without calcium carbonate). The results showed that the use of calcium carbonate from the water treatment has a negative impact on fluting paper strength properties. Calcium carbonate filler negative impacts on virgin pulp (NSSC) and recycled pulp (OCC) is different and is more in OCC pulp.