Ash Determination
Standardized testing protocols measure the mineral content of paper, board, and pulp by burning away organic fibers at high temperatures. The procedure known as iso 2144 inorganic ash defines the precise method for incinerating samples to calculate the weight of residual fillers. This measurement indicates the presence of clay, calcium carbonate, and titanium dioxide.
Thermal Decomposition
To execute this test, laboratory technicians place a dried paper specimen into a silica crucible. This container is heated in a muffle furnace to a temperature of either five hundred and twenty-five or nine hundred degrees Celsius. At these high temperatures, the cellulose and other organic materials combust completely, leaving behind only the non-combustible mineral residues.
By weighing the remaining material, the iso 2144 inorganic ash content is calculated as a percentage of the initial oven-dry sample mass.
Functional Significance
Knowing the mineral percentage is critical because fillers alter both the opacity and the tensile strength of printing papers. Heavy loading of calcium carbonate improves brightness but reduces the bonding area available to the fibers. If the ash content is too high, the paper will suffer from surface dusting during high-speed printing.
Consequently, this testing protocol provides the primary metric for verifying filler levels against purchase specifications.
