Weight Sustainability: Our Research Paper

To be able to fulfill the requirements of being a high school student, I have to do a thesis paper. But doing such research is not only for the sake of doing a research but also to provide a new knowledge to the people in this generation.

The research project which is entitled, Sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate as Binding Agents in Papermaking: A Comparative Study was a study which is about the comparison of the two binding agents in determining the maximum weight sustainability of the recycled papers treated with the varying amounts of the two binding agents.

The study also aimed to answer the question, is there a difference in the maximum load of paper between 250 grams of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide; is there a difference in the maximum load of paper between 500 grams of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide, is there a difference in the maximum load of paper between 1000 grams of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide. With papermaking, using the binding agents, sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate, a stronger and better paper industry is expected.

In making the recycled paper, I together with my group mates, cut old newspapers that measure 1/2 square inch that was soaked overnight inside a pail of water. The soaked papers were then pounded and were squeezed to remove the water. The soaked papers were then mixed into the solution of either of the both binding agents in a specified amount. And after which, the papers were then dried under the sun’s heat for about 2 days.

After drying the papers, we then tested the weight sustainability by applying weights and gradually applying more until the paper breaks. By doing such an experiment or test, we found out that the papers made from 250 g of Sodium Carbonate and Sodium Hydroxide were able to sustain weights greater than 1590 g but less than 1685 g. And the paper made from 500 gram of sodium hydroxide was able to sustain a weight that is more than 510 g but less than 530 g of weights while the paper made from 500 g Sodium Carbonate sustained more than 390 g but less than 400 g of weights. The paper mixed with the 1000 grams of sodium hydroxide was only able to sustain a weight that was only between 10 grams and 20 grams while that of the recycled paper mixed with 1000 grams of sodium carbonate was able to sustain a weight which is between 480 g but less than 500 g of weights.

Based on the results and findings, we reached the following conclusions:
• The lesser the concentration of a binding agent with water, the greater
would be the weight sustainability. As the concentration increases, varied weight sustainability will be achieved.
• The Sodium Carbonate at 1000 g proved to be more effective as a binding agent than the Sodium Hydroxide of the same amount since the paper mixed with it was able to carry heavier weights.
• As the Sodium Hydroxide’s concentration increases, the paper’s weight sustainability also decreases.

We gladly recommend that the lesser the concentration of the binding agents, the better, because the concentration greatly affects the sustainability.