Chemical characterisation and the effect of alkaline pulping of Malaysia cultivated kenaf (hibiscus cannabinus)

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Date
2010
Authors
Lin Suan, Ang
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Abstract
A comprehensive study is carried out on the chemical composition of the bast and core of the Hibiscus cannabinus (kenaf) cultivated in Malaysia. The changes in the whole stalk chemical composition due to different plant age arc also examined. In comparison to the kenafplanted in Malaysia and different countries, the locally planted kenaf (Penang) shows some differences in the value of the chemical composition. Increase of plant age from 15 to 19 weeks of kenaf growth are positively decreases the extractive content, but negatively increases the lignin content and decreases the holocellulose content. Based on the results of various soda-AQ pulping, it is found that the carbohydrate degradation and dclignification degree increases with the increase of active alkali and cooking temperature, but the degree decreases with the increase of liquor to material (L: M) ratio. The most satisfactory pr.operties of pulp and handsheets from kenaf bast can be attained by employing 19.4% active alkali with 0.1% AQ and L: M ratio of 7:1 cooked for 2 hours at 160"C. Besides, mild alkaline pre-impregnation prior soda-AQ pulping does not only effectively improve the pulp viscosity, but it also substantially increased the handsheets' strength properties, especially folding endu~a~:~~f tensi.l~. and burst indices. Among th~ :~ree alkaline cooking pr:dcfss·~.~ (kraft, kraft~AQ a;,W soda-AQ), the _.resul~ of pulp and handshcet properties shows that the .. . ~oda-AQ pulp is comparable or ~yen slightly of highet quality than the kraft and kraft-AQ . • • ,. ,•!' • . • II pulp,s. T.h e st.u dy also found,that betwe~n the kenaf bast and core soda-AQ handsheets, the ~:· . ... ... \ ... strength properties of the kenaf core's handsheet arc surp1~singly hig1.?£r than of the kenaf .. . . . ~ .. . •... , . '' bast. Nevertheless, the kenaf core shows considerable lower screened yield than kcnaf bast. On the other hand, the effect of four chemical variables (NaOH, H20 2, stabilizer (NaSI03 + MgS04) and DTPA) of the kenaf core alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping and their interactions on the five responses-pulping yield, ISO brightness, tensile, tear and bursting indices are statistically evaluated by employing a two-level full factorial experimental design through a computer aided software named Design Expert®. The statistical analysis shows that the addition of stabilizer improve all the handsheets' strength properties, while the increase of alkaline charge decrease the pulping yield and the increase of hydrogen peroxide charge increases the pulp brightness. All the factorial designs built are also statistically and experimentally verified. .. .. . .
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Keywords
Alkaline pulping , Malaysia cultivated kenaf , (Hibiscus cannabinus)
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