Evaluation of Pulp and Paper Properties obtained from Maple Juvenile Wood through Organosolv Alcohol Method Catalyzed by Calcium and Magnesium Salts

Abstract

The properties of catalyzed organosolv pulp obtained from maple juvenile wood were studied. The physical properties of fiber (e.g. length, width, and cell membrane thickness) and chemical composition of maple juvenile wood (e.g. average cellulose, lignin, extractives, and ash content) were determined. The variables were cooking temperature (190 and 200 ºC) and time (40, 60, and 80 minutes). Chemical charge ( 280 ml methanol, 70 ml water, and 0.025 mols of Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Nitrate) was kept constant. Pulp screen yields (54.9 to 60.91% ) and Kappa No. (15.5 to 18.4 ) were measured. Pulp freeness was reduced to 350 ml CSF in PFI mill, and ten 60 g/m2 handsheets were made from the selected pulps. The strength properties of catalyzed organosolv handsheets including tear length (3.83 to 4.25 km), tear index (10.22 to 12.81 mN.m2/g), and burst index (1.74 to 2.15 kPa.m2/g) were compared with those of the conventional Kraft handsheets of maple juvenile wood. The least allowed values of the mentioned properties in the Indian (IS) and Japanese international standards (JIS) reveal that while the tear length value is slightly below that of the standards, the values of tear and burst indices are well beyond the given standards, and the environmentally-friendly catalyzed organosolv pulping process (higher yield and lower Kappa No. compared to Kraft) can be recommended to produce paper pulp from maple juvenile wood.

Keywords

• Maple
• Juvenile Wood
• Organosolv
• Pulp and Paper Properties
• Catalyzer