Four fiber fractions from poplar alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping, performed with refiner-chemical preconditioning (P-RC APMP), were used to estimate inter-fiber bonding capacity. The relationship between fiber characteristics and inter-fiber bonding capacities was investigated. The surface lignin content of the long fiber fraction was slightly lower than that of the short fiber fraction. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the fiber surfaces were heterogeneous (i.e., different cell wall layers were exposed along the fiber surface). The fiber fractions that had lower surface lignin content had higher bonding capacities. Furthermore, modified PFI beating was used to peel the surface of the fibers. After the peeling treatment, the fiber surface charge increased remarkably, while the surface lignin concentration decreased considerably. The lignin and charge on the fiber surface are the two key factors for estimating the interfiber bonding capacities.
Interfiber bonding is a critical
parameter for the strength properties
of cellulosic material. In this study, confocal laser scanning microscopy
(CLSM) was applied to determine the interfiber bonded area of lignocellulosic
fibers. Based on its unique features of optical sectioning, a series
of 2D images were obtained. The optically bonded area, which does
not include the unbonded area, and the overlapped area were estimated.
The bonding ratio of the interfiber network, defined as the optically
bonded area to the total overlapped area, was also estimated. Furthermore,
the 3D-image reconstructions of the interfiber bonded model were established.
The developed CLSM technique was applied to a poplar high-yield pulp
sample.
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