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glossary/mullen

Mullen burst test

Also: Mullen burst, burst tester, Mullen test

A hydraulic test that measures the pressure required to rupture a paper sample, reported in kPa.

The Mullen test clamps a paper sample over a rubber diaphragm and inflates the diaphragm with glycerol until the paper bursts. The hydraulic pressure at rupture is recorded as burst strength, typically in kPa or psi. The test is defined by ISO 2758 for paper and ISO 2759 for board.

Kraftliner burst values typically run 300 to 900 kPa depending on grammage. The Mullen test is the historic benchmark for corrugated liner grades, though ring crush (RCT) has taken over for box design calculations.