Paper pulp

Description

A dispersion of Cellulose fibers in water. Paper manufactured before the 1850s was made primarily from Cotton and Bast fibers (usually Linen textile made from Flax). Most raw materials for paper production came from rags. Due to shortages of these materials, other raw materials for paper pulp were common, but usually not as successful. In 1854, a process was patented for the production of paper pulp from Wood. This led to the mass production of inferior papers before methods were improved.

Authority

• The Dictionary of Paper, American Paper Institute, New York, Fourth Edition, 1980

• E.J.LaBarre, Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Paper and Paper-making, Swets & Zeitlinger, Amsterdam, 1969

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 578