Comparison of 3D structural characteristics of high and low resolution X-ray microtomographic images of paper

X-ray micro-(computed) tomography (X-μCT) and image analysis allow visualisation and characterisation of the 3D structure of porous materials such as paper and board. This study attempted to identify the optimal resolution for characterisation of three-dimensional structure of paper through a comparison between 3D images obtained by monochromatic synchrotron radiation X-μCT in phase contrast mode (resolution ≈ l μm) and polychromatic radiation X-μCT in absorption mode (res. ≈ 5 μm). Both resolutions have the ability to show the expected trends for the measured structural properties when comparing different paper samples. The low-resolution images can be used for comparative studies, whereas the high-resolution images are better suited for fundamental research on the paper structure and its influence on paper properties, as one gets more accurate physical measurements.