Abstract
This study was intended to investigate the proper shape and size of calcium carbonate for the improvement of paper properties and its end use performance. We loaded calcium carbonate of various shapes and size in the handsheet and measured their physical and optical properties. Results obtained from the study are summarized as follows : 1. Due to different particle shapes and sizes, precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) contributed greater to bulk improvement than ground calcium carbonate (GCC). Scalenohedral form of PCC produced the bulkiest sheet, GCC made the sheet bulkier as average particle size increases. 2. Tensile strength increased as average particle size was increasing. GCC kept tensile strength more effectively than PCC. The effect of particle size on tensile strength was much more pronounced as filler addition level was increasing. 3. Over the average particle size of 6.99$\mu$m, GCC gave much higher burst strength and internal bond than PCC did. In the filler levels of 20% and 30%, GCC by using bigger size fillers showed 50~100% improvement in some cases than PCC at the same filler content. 4. Tear strength increased as average particle size was increasing. At the filler level of 30%, PCC decreased tear greatly. 5. Over the average particle size of 13.56$\mu$m, GCC kept bending stiffness greater than PCC. Due to its shape, Scalenohedral form of PCC showed higher stiffness than others at the same particle size. 6. Cubic and acicular form of PCC improved light scattering coefficient very effectively. Light scattering coefficient of GCC decreased as average particle size increased. 7. Both of particle shape and size of filler were important factor in developing optical properties and bending stiffness. Particle size was the only important factor in developing other strength properties
