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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #39299
Title: FEASIBILITY OF USING KENAF CHEMITHERMOMECHANICAL PULP IN PRINTING AND WRITING PAPER

Author
item MYERS GARY C - FOREST PROD LAB, MADISON
item Bagby, Marvin

Submitted to: TAPPI Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/16/1994
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Kenaf, an annually renewable resource for pulp and paper, was processed by the high-yield technology, chemithermomechanical pulping using hydrogen peroxide as the chemical. The pulp was evaluated as a material for manufacture of writing paper and light-weighted coated paper. From strength data and light scattering and opacity properties, the paper is suitable for those uses.

Technical Abstract: In this study, the feasibility of using whole stem kenaf as an alternative to wood for the fiber source for chemithermo- mechanical pulp (CTMP) for printing and writing paper was investigated. The objective was to determine if high-yield kenaf mechanical pulp could be used by itself in printing and writing paper. Trials were conducted on commercial-sized and laboratory-sized equipment. Various amounts of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide were applied by injection into the pressurized refiners. Freenesses and shive contents of the pulps were determined, and fiber length and chemical analyses performed. Two kenaf thermomechanical pulps (TMP) were prepared and post-bleached with hydrogen peroxide. Most paper strength properties range between those for newsprint and printing and writing papers. Brightness of all but two CTMP's and post-bleached TMP's were low for printing and writing paper. Opacity values were very high for most CTMP's. Scattering coefficient was also high for all CTMP's. Post- bleached kenaf TMP's did not achieve the paper properties obtained with kenaf CTMP's. Paper strength and brightness was generally increased, and the energy required to produce CTMP decreased by increasing the amount of applied sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide.