The aim of the Faraday research project is to develop a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms determining the performance and limitations of curtain coating of paper. Models will be developed to study the stability of a curtain comprising one or more pigment-loaded films and the behaviour in the region of the impact of the curtain with the moving paper web. Curtain coating is well established in the photographic industry and it has many potential advantages over more traditional paper coating methods; this research will support the transfer of this technology into papermaking.

Project staff and support

Rosemary Dyson (Postgraduate Faraday Associate, University of Oxford)
Peter Howell (Academic supervisor, University of Oxford)
Nick Kite (Industrial supervisor, ArjoWiggins)
Tim Boxer (Technology Translator, Smith Institute)

This project is being pursued at the University of Oxford in conjunction with the ArjoWiggins. It is supported by an EPSRC studentship under the Mathematics CASE scheme. Start date: October 2003; duration: 3 years.