Re: What is the approximate resistivity of paper?

Thanks for the question Dave.  The most difficult part of your question 
was trying to figure out what you meant by “standard plain” paper.  I will 
assume white copy paper to be “standard plain.”  There is a reasonable 
amount if information regarding paper and its electric properties.  The 
properties of paper can be greatly varied by adding components to the 
paper during the manufacture of the paper or when the paper is coated.  

An important factor to consider when paper properties are being discussed 
it humidity.  The relative humidity (RH) the paper is exposed to can 
significantly change nearly every paper property of interest, from tensile 
strength to optical properties, and resistivity is no exception.  

I found a report that showed the resistivity of paper dropped from 1000 
Mohm/cm2 to 1 Mohm/cm2 when the RH was increased from 23% to 61%.  
Rockwood Additives Limited (www.laponite.com) reported this information.  
They make coating additives that are used to control the resistivity of 
paper.  

Now you have a ballpark figure for the resistivity of paper (I would pick 
a value around 500 Mohm/cm2 if I could not measure my sample directly) and 
a word of caution to carefully control the RH of the environment around 
any paper with which you are experimenting.