| Summary: | Although the title of this book is Paper Chemistry, it should be considered as a text about the chemistry of the formation of paper from aqueous suspensions of fibre and other additives, rather than as a book about the chemistry of the raw material itself. It is the subject of what papermakers call wet-end chemistry. There are many other excellent texts on the chemistry of cellulose and, apart from one chapter on the accessibility of cellulose, the subject is not addressed here. Neither does the book deal with the chemistry of pulp preparation (from wood, from other plant sources or from recycled fibres), for there are also many excellent texts on this subject. The formation of paper is a continuous filtration process in which cellulosic fibres are formed into a network which is then pressed and dried. The important chemistry involved in this process is firstly the retention of colloidal material during filtration and secondly the modification of fibre and sheet properties so as to widen the scope for the use of paper and board products. As is the fashion these days, each chapter is written by an internationally recognised expert in the field, and my thanks are extended to all of the contributors. for their hours of patient and unseen research during the preparation of their manuscripts.
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