Determination of crystallinity of Chinese handmade papers by means of X-ray diffraction

The crystallinity indices (CrI) of Chinese handmade papers were investigated using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. Four Chinese handmade papers, Yingchun, Zhuma, Yuanshu and Longxucao papers were used as model substrates of mulberry bark, ramie, bamboo and Eulaliopsis binata papers, respectively. Two forms of the paper samples, paper sheets and their comminuted powders, were used in this study. The results showed that their XRD patterns belong to the cellulose-I type and I beta dominates the cellulose microstructure of these paper samples. Moreover, it was found that the microstructures and CrIs of cellulose of these papers were changed by the grinding treatment. This work suggested that the sheet form of the handmade papers is suitable to determine CrI by XRD, despite the contribution of non-cellulosic components in the papers. The order of CrIs for these paper sheet samples was Yingchun, Zhuma, Longxucao and Yuanshu papers. Besides CrIs, differences in cross-sectional areas of the crystalline zone of cellulose can be used for comparing different types of handmade papers. It was also found that the CrIs and crystallite size of paper cellulose varied between the sheet samples and the powder samples, illustrating that the pulverisation has a negative influence on the microstructure of the handmade papers.