Abstract
Refining is one of the most important processes of fiber treatment that provides optical and physical properties of final paper products. The evaluation method of refining progress is usually freeness (CSF) or wetness (SR) test because of its rapidity and convenience. However, there are some deficiencies in using freeness or wetness test to evaluate pulp fibers accurately because its results are more influenced by fines contents than extent of fibers treatment. The objective of this study is to show the deficiency of wetness in evaluating the refining process. For this, beating is done by varying the beating load. Handsheets are made after beating until 25 and $32^{\circ}C$ SR, and then paper properties are measured. Refined fibers are analyzed by fiber length, fines contents, curl, kink, WRV, and zero-span tensile strength. The results show that longer beating time is required to reach the same wetness at lower beating load. There are differences in the average fiber length, distribution curve of fiber length, fines contents, curl, kink, WRV of long fiber fraction, drainage time, and zero-span tensile strength of rewetted sample at different beating load. At the low beating load in the same wetness, apparent density, breaking length, burst strength, and tear strength are higher, while opacity and air permeability are lower than those of the high beating load. Using Page s equation, which shows the relationship among tensile strength, intrinsic fiber strength, and interfiber bonding strength, interfiber bonding strength is calculated and analyzed to explain final paper properties. At $25^{\circ}C$ SR, interfiber bonding strength is only slightly higher at 2.5kgf beating load, while the intrinsic fiber strength is substantially higher. At $32^{\circ}C$ SR, intrinsic fiber strength is a little bit higher at 2.5kgf beating load, and interfiber bonding strength is remarkably higher than those of 5.6kgf beating load. These results can be used to explain the different properties of the final paper at selected beating loads.