Abstract
The influence of four process parameters of soft nip calendering including calendering pressure, temperature, moisture content and nip residence time on bulk, smoothness and tensile strength of newsprints has been investigated. In addition, the effect of basis weights on calendering responses has been examined. Bulk of newsprints decreased and smoothness increased with the increase of the calendering pressure, temperature, moisture content of the sheets and nip residence time. Improvement in tensile strength was observed when low calendering pressure and high temperature of heat-ing roll were employed. Tensile strength of the newsprint, however, decreased abruptly when the calendering temperature and pressure increased above certain levels due to the rupture of sheet structure, which has been verified by SEM. SEM micrographs also showed that it would be possible to maintain the inner bulk while densifying the fibers on the outer surface of newsprint by adjusting the soft nip calendering variables properly.