Properties of Fluff Pulp and Handsheet Recycled from Paper Diaper

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine the reusability of the fluff pulp recycled from paper diaper. To do this, the physical and optical properties of each handsheet made from these fluff pulp sample as well as the properties of the fiber recycled from paper diaper were analyzed and compared with those of non-recycled diaper fluff pulp samples and conventional pulp samples. These comparisons show that the characteristics of fiber such as length, width, curl, kink of the pulp recycled from paper diaper were sim-ilar to those of non-recycled diaper fluff pulp as well as to those of commercial pulp. The fine content of recycled diaper fluff pulp was lower than that of other pulp samples, while the ash content of the former was higher than that of the latter. Furthermore, it was also found that the bulk of handsheets made from the recycled fluff pulp was higher than that of other pulp samples, while the formation of the former was worse than that of the latter. The mechanical properties of the handsheet sample made from the recycled diaper fluff pulp was higher than those of the unused diaper fluff pulp and was lower that those of com-mercial fluff pulp and softwood tissue pulp handsheet. But, it was higher than that of hardwood tissue pulp handsheet. The optical properties of recycled diaper fluff pulp handsheet was lower than those of each handsheet samples made from other pulps due to its low fine content.