Overview
EN ISO 5270:2022 - Pulps: Laboratory sheets - Determination of physical properties defines the standardized set of test procedures used to measure physical properties of laboratory sheets made from all types of pulps. Applicable to sheets prepared in accordance with ISO 5269‑1, ISO 5269‑2 or ISO 5269‑3, this fourth edition (2022) supersedes EN ISO 5270:2012 and clarifies methods for both low‑grammage and high‑grammage laboratory sheets. The standard references calibration, conditioning and reporting requirements to ensure repeatable, comparable results across pulp laboratories.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and applicability: Tests apply to laboratory sheets produced by conventional or Rapid‑Köthen formers; low‑grammage sheets (oven‑dry grammage ≈ 60 ± 2 g/m² conventional or 75 ± 2 g/m² Rapid‑Köthen) and high‑grammage sheets (≈ 140 g/m² ± 3 %, with z‑direction tests ≥ 90 g/m²).
- Conditioning and atmosphere: Conditioning and test atmosphere per ISO 187 to control moisture and test reproducibility.
- Grammage, thickness and density: Minimum sample area defined for grammage determination; thickness and apparent bulk density per ISO 534/536 procedures.
- Optical properties: Brightness and opacity measurements (ISO 2470‑1, ISO 2471) with allowance for Rapid‑Köthen sheets dried at room temperature.
- Mechanical properties: Standardized procedures for:
- Apparatus and calibration: Equipment must be calibrated in accordance with the referenced paper and board standards.
- Reporting: Results often expressed in index form and reported following the referenced standards’ calculation rules.
Applications and users
EN ISO 5270:2022 is used for:
- R&D and pilot papermaking to evaluate pulp formulations and treatments.
- Quality control in pulp mills and laboratories to verify raw material performance.
- Product development for paper, board and corrugated media (flat crush and ring crush relate directly to corrugating performance).
- Instrument manufacturers and calibration facilities to align test equipment with international practice.
- Regulatory, procurement and certification where standardized physical property data is required.
Typical users: pulp technologists, papermakers, laboratory analysts, QA/QC engineers, academic researchers and standards committees.
Related standards
Key referenced documents include ISO 5269‑1/2/3 (sheet formation), ISO 187 (conditioning), ISO 534/536 (thickness/grammage), ISO 1924‑2/3 (tensile), ISO 1974 (tear), ISO 2758 (burst), ISO 5636 (air permeance), ISO 5626 (folding), ISO 7263 (flat crush), ISO 12192 (ring crush) and ISO 15754 (z‑directional tensile). These provide the full test methods, apparatus descriptions and reporting rules referenced by EN ISO 5270:2022.
