New technology in pulping and bleaching

Abstract

Innovation in advancing technoogies for production of pulp and paper has been driven, by and large, by the needs to reduce the environmental impact of pulp mills or to enhance the yield in processes of conversion of wood to fibers. "Fiberization" of wood chips is carred out in two categores of processes. One, chemical pulping relies on removing the lignin that binds the cellulose fibers together by chemical delignification processes. The other is based on mechanical fiberization of the wood while retaining much of the lignin. The resulting pulps have significantly different properties. The chemical pulps are used in the manufacture of paper or packaging materials that require the fibers to have excellent mechanical properties or to have high brightness for the manufacture of fine papers. The mechanical pulps are used as fillers or in the manufacture of papers that do not require fibers of high strength. Some chemical pulps are also used as a source of high-purity cellulose for the manufacture of cellulose derivatives or for the production of regenerated cellulose fibers. We will touch upon some advances in both arenas.

Citation

Atalla, R. H.; Reiner, R. S.; Houtman, C. J.; Springer, E. L. 2004. New technology in pulping and bleaching. Encyclopedia of forest sciences. Volume two. Oxford, UK : Elsevier Academic Press, 2004: Pages 918-924