| Coated paper is important to Canadian industry. However, developing new formulations is time consuming and often uses heuristics. Tools to help coaters would be profitable. This is why we chose to study models to simulate pigment deposition during coating process.;We developed characterization tools to compute packing properties. We can then compare the porosity, microroughness and the porous network characteristics of various packings of pigments.;We used an image analysis method called catchment basins and watersheds to determine pore limits within particle packings. We were then able to determine pore size, throat area, surface area, throat to surface ratio and connectivity distribution. We also computed pore size distribution within the packing. We validated our characterization algorithm with known ordered spheres packings and we studied the characteristics of a typical monodispersed packing.;We compared the porosity of monodisperse and bidisperse packings predicted using three different models, namely the Steepest Descent Deposition Method (SDD), the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and the Monte Carlo Method (MC). Finally, we compared these results to experimental and theoretical data from literature. For all cases, the particle size ratio used was 5. We compared for different compositions. |
