Paper is made of cellulose obtained from pulp of cotton lint, wood, straw and rag. Blotting paper is an unsized paper, since sizing agents are not employed in the manufacture of this paper. This is in order to retain the absorbent property, which is more in blotting paper. This absorbent property is due to the presence of more microscopic capillaries, which exhibit more capillary action resulting in the easy entry and spreading of any liquid, which come in to contact. Another property of blotting paper is that it is not hard, since it is manufactured without loading.
The ordinary writing paper is a sized paper. So it is impregnated with sizing and coating materials. This prevents the incorporation of microscopic capillaries. These papers are permanence, resistant to ink penetration and better finish. Polyvinyl alcohol, carboxyl methyl cellulose, alginates and certain wax emulsions in combination with starch are also used as loading agents for the manufacture of these papers. Tissue papers are entirely different from ordinary writing papers and blotting papers.
Unlike these two papers they are very thin, glazed and sometimes slightly waxed. Even though tissue papers are thin, they are very strong. Since they are highly glazed they are transparent. These papers are specially made for the purpose of taking carbon copies and packing cakes and butter.
