Production of Printing and Writing Paper Grade Pulp from Sugar Cane Bagasse

摘要

The main goal of this study was evaluating the potential of bagasse for production of printing and writing paper grade pulp. Industrial whole bagasse was separated into two fractions: pith and depithed bagasse. The pith was only characterized chemically. The depithed bagasse was chemically and morphologically characterized and cooked by the soda process to two different degrees of delignification. The resulting pulps were fully bleached by the O-D~*-(EP)-D sequence and characterized for their beatability, drainability and physical-mechanical properties. The contents of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin in the two materials varied significantly. The morphological analyses of the depithed bagasse indicated a short fibered material, similar to hardwoods. The bleached soda pulps cooked at kappa 17.5 and 10.8 showed similar beatabilities and resistance to drainage, but the strength properties (tensile, burst and tear) were higher for the kappa 17.5 pulp at beating energy consumptions in the range of 2-7 Wh. It is concluded that both kappa 10.8 and 17.5 pulps from depithed sugar cane bagasse are suitable for production of printing and writing paper grades, but the higher kappa 17.5 pulp is more economically attractive given its higher pulping yield, without significantly increased chemical demand for bleaching.