Abstract
Physical properties of paper can be explained in terms of the changes in fiber's morphological properties. As the paper machine speed increases, the basis weight decreases and the mixing ratio of inferior recycled fibers increases, paper break becomes important than ever before. One of the objectives of this study is to analyze paper's physical, mechanical and fracture mechanical properties depending on softwood(SW) and hardwood(HW) mixing ratios and recycling. Fibers were refined by Valley beater to 450 mL CSF. Handsheets of 30 g/$\textrm{m}^2$ were prepared at different mixing ratios. Fracture toughness was measured as the amount of energy applied to cracked sample before total failure. Fracture toughness showed different trend to other strength properties. At the mixing ratio of SW 80: HW 20, papers showed the maximum fracture toughness. At this mixing ratio, flexible softwood fibers were mostly broken and stiff hardwood fibers were mostly pulled out.