Chemical Pulping of Oxytenanthera abyssinica Bamboo
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Date
2015-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Bamboo is a fast growing non-wood plant with long and thin fibers. Therefore, it has potential as a raw material for pulping and papermaking. Oxytenanthera abyssinica bamboo samples were harvested, sorted, dried and milled using Wiley Mill and sieved with 250μm mesh for chemical analysis. In this work, the chemical composition of Oxytenanthera abyssinica bam-boo, the effect of soda-AQ pulping conditions on pulp yield and kappa number and also the mechanical properties of paper made from lowland bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) was evaluated. Oxytenanthera abyssinica bamboo chemical composition contains higher cellulose content (52.06%) and pulp yield which make bamboo a preferred raw material for pulping. The bamboo chips were pulped using digester pulping unit with 15, 20 and 25% varying alkali charge; 60, 120 and 180 min cooking times and 150, 175 and 200oC cooking temperature. The maximum pulp yield and minimum kappa number obtained was 52.24% and 12.16 respectively were achieved under the optimum conditions; at the active alkali of (20%), cooking temperature of 150oC and the cooking time of 180 min with high value of combined desirability, i.e. 0.98. The bamboo pulp was then made into 60 g/m2 laboratory scale papers and their mechanical properties were assessed. The results revealed that tensile index, bursting index, and tearing index were 33.58 Nm/g, 1.303kPa.m2/g, and 11.5mN.m2
/g respectively. This study indicates that comparable moderate strength mechanical properties of paper can be produced from Oxytenanthera abyssinica bamboo pulp with more environmentally friendly pulping process. Finally, it can be concluded that Oxytenanthera abyssinica bamboo has a great potential for substitution of imported pulp in paper and paper products processing industry.
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Process Engineering Stream