Types of Tests

Wet Strength

What is a wet strength test?

Simply stated, wet strength is term that is most commonly used in the testing of paper. The wet strength of paper is measured by taking a dry piece of paper, wetting it with a standard test fluid for a set amount of time, and then measuring the strength. The burst test is often used because of the ease and speed of testing. Wet tensile tests are also common, depending on the type of paper grade and can be performed in-situ. Papermakers typically use the ratio of wet strength to dry strength as a guide to paper quality. A true wet-strength paper grade has been defined by various writers to have a wet strength that is at least 10% or 15% of its dry strength.