Eucalyptus globulus bark valorization: Production of fibers by Neutral Sulphite Semi-Chemical Process for Liner Paper Manufacture

Abstract

Eucalyptus globulus is the second most important economic forest species in Chile. Its main use is in the kraft pulp industry, where large amounts of bark waste are generated. Due to its fibrous characteristics, E. globulus bark is proposed as an alternative source of fibres for papermaking. This study focuses on obtaining fibres for liner paper manufacture. A neutral sulphite semi-chemical (NSSC) process was performed, varying the sodium sulphite (5% to 16%) and the sodium carbonate (2% and 4%) concentrations using two reaction temperatures (160°C and 170°C). The NSSC process at 170°C, 16% of sulphite, and 2% of sodium carbonate proved to be the best condition to obtain higher mechanical performance of papers. As the pulping conditions become more drastic, the yield drops, and the physicomechanical properties of paper increases. Results showed that pulps from E. globulus bark could turn into source of fibres for papermaking and other related products.

Replanting Eucalyptus as a sustainable solution for pulp industry: A review

“…Although utilizing recycled fibers benefits the surroundings and the economics, these techniques call for the use of various components and various recycling cycles, which causes the fibers' inherent quality to decline due to their shorter fiber length. As a result, this may lead to higher fines and less readily drainable papers [19,20].…”

“…The advantages of making fibers from leftover bioenergy in the same operation reduce the expense of transportation and logistics of supply. Thus, the fascinating raw material eucalyptus bark is suggested for the synthesis of fiber [19]. Eucalyptus paper sheets have stronger mechanical qualities than merit paper sheets [21].…”

Microwave-Assisted Soda Pulping of the Banana Pseudo Stem (Musa Cavendish) for Pulp and Paper Production: Production, Characterization, and Optimization

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