Research on the physical properties of calcium sulfate whisker and the effects of its addition on paper and its printing performance

In this investigation, softwood pulp and bleached wheat straw pulp were used as raw materials, and Calcium Sulfate Whiskers (CSW) were used as fillers. Based on the structural properties and characteristics of CSW, the printing properties of the paper with CSW, such as whiteness, opacity, pH value, uniformity, Z-direction tensile strength and surface strength, were analyzed. The results showed that CSW has low solubility, high retention and fiber-like appearance. The whiteness of the paper is the best when the filling amount of CSW is 20 %. The paper opacity of softwood pulp increases significantly, and the opacity of bleached wheat straw pulp decreases significantly when CSW is more than 30 %. The addition reduces pH and surface strength of the paper. The evenness of the paper does not change obviously. The Z-direction tensile strength of the paper decreases in the softwood paper, but increases obviously in the bleached wheat straw paper.

Research on the Physical Properties of Calcium Sulfate Whisker and the Effects of its Addition on Paper and its Printing Performance

In this investigation, softwood pulp and bleached wheat straw pulp were used as raw materials, and Calcium Sulfate Whiskers (CSW) were used as fillers. Based on the structural properties and characteristics of CSW, the printing properties of the paper with CSW, such as whiteness, opacity, pH value, uniformity, Z-direction tensile strength and surface strength, were analyzed. The results showed that CSW has low solubility, high retention rate and fiber-like appearance. The whiteness of the paper is the best when the filling amount of CSW is 20%. The paper opacity of softwood pulp increases significantly, and the opacity of bleached wheat straw pulp decreases significantly when CSW is more than 30%. The addition reduces pH and surface strength of the paper. The evenness of the paper does not change obviously. The Z-direction tensile strength of the paper decreases in the softwood paper, but increases obviously in the bleached wheat straw paper. Graphic abstract

Chlorine dioxide bleaching of nineteen non-wood plant pulps

Bleaching of unbleached and oxygen delignified pulps from nineteen non-wood plants has been evaluated in elemental chlorine free bleaching. Chlorine dioxide charge (kappa factor 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25) and temperature (70 and 85 °C) in the delignification stage (D) were varied. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) charge and temperature exhibited lower kappa number and higher brightness after alkaline extraction (EP) stage. High temperature ClO2 delignification (DHT) exhibited higher final pulp brightness. The final brightness of wheat straw pulp reached to 90 % after D0/DHT(EP)D1 bleaching, while banana pseudo stem pulp showed the worst bleachability. Residual hexeneuronic acid contents in final pulp from most of the non-wood plants were lower and exhibited 1–2 % higher pulp brightness in DHT process than D0 process. Oxygen delignified pulp and DHT process discharged lower COD load.

Effect of introducing ozone in elemental chlorine free bleaching of pulp on generation of chlorophenolic compounds

Effect of using ozone before elemental chlorine free (ECF) bleaching of oxygen delignified wheat straw pulp produced following soda-anthraquinone pulping on bleaching effluent and pulp properties was studied. The effluent generated during bleaching of pulp contains high amount of adsorbable organic halogens (AOX), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and highly toxic chlorophenolic compounds. This study is aimed to utilise green chemistry approach during bleaching of one of the abundantly used agro residue wheat straw for improving the quality of bleaching effluent and pulp properties. Introducing ozone stage before ECF bleaching resulted in significant reduction of chloriphenolic compounds like chlorocatechols by 48.9 %, chloroguaiacols by 33.3 %, chlorovanillins by 28.4 % and chlorophenols by 26.7 % in the effluent compared to those of control. Incorporation of ozone before ECF bleaching BOD, COD, AOX and colour were reduced by 40.0 %, 41.1 %, 46.7 % and 57.8 %, respectively, as compared to control. Optical properties like brightness and whiteness of the pulp bleached using ozone were also improved by 2.5 units and 4.0 units, respectively as compared to that with control.

Improvement in selectivity of ozone bleaching using DTPA as carbohydrate protector for wheat straw pulp

Effect of using diethylenetriamine pentaaceticacid (DTPA) as carbohydrate protector in ozone stage on delignification efficiency, bleaching efficiency, selectivity, metal ions, strength, morphological properties and effluent properties of wheat straw pulp was studied. Using DTPA during ozone treatment viscosity of pulp was improved by 1.1 units, delignification efficiency improved by 13.8 % and pulp brightness improved by 2.5 units compared to that of control. Most importantly the selectivity of ozone treatment was improved by 124 %. Ozone treatment along with DTPA reduced the Fe, Cu and Mn content in the pulp by 52 %, 27 % and 70 %, respectively. Use of DTPA in ozone stage improved the bleached pulp viscosity by 9 %, post colour number by 27 % and reduced the pulp shrinkage by 5 % compared to control pulp. DTPA treated and control pulps have comparable physical strength and morphological properties.

Additives to decrease cellulose chain scission during ozone bleaching of wheat straw pulp

The efficacy of different chemical additives like acetic acid, ammonium molybdate, diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), mannitol, methanol, per acetic acid (PAA), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and sulfamic acid as carbohydrate protector during ozone bleaching of wheat straw pulp was studied. DTPA was found the most effective additive for ozone bleaching followed by the methanol. Using DTPA during ozone treatment improved the delignification efficiency by 13.8 %, bleaching efficiency by 19.8 %, selectivity of ozone by 124 % and reduced the chain scission number of glycosidic linkages in cellulose by 55.3 % compared to that of control. Ozone treatment along with DTPA reduced the Fe, Cu and Mn content in the pulp by 52 %, 27 % and 70 %, respectively. Use of methanol improved the delignification efficiency by 9.0 %, bleaching efficiency by 12.2 %, selectivity by 32.4 % and reduced the chain scission number by 22.2 % compared to that of control. The NaOCl was found to be the most effective for improving the delignification efficiency followed by PAA, they improved the delignification efficiency by 29.3 % and 27.3 %, respectively. The PAA improved the bleaching efficiency to a maximum of 39.9 % followed by 30.2 % with NaOCl.