Bamboo for Pulp and Paper

Abstract

The potential of bamboo for the pulp and paper potential is reviewed. Bamboo is considered the most rapidly expanding crop and a significant carbon sink. However, only a few of the 1,250 species of bamboo have been commercialized. In the region where wood is less available, bamboo is the most appropriate raw material for pulp and papermaking, such as in China. Bamboo is a fast-growing plant harvestable in less than five years. Bamboo’s suitability for pulp and paper production has been considered from the point of view of chemical contents and fiber properties. Various methods of bamboo pulping have been reported, i.e., atmospheric hot soda, NSSC, sulfite, kraft, Soda-AQ, ASAM, chemo-mechanical, organosolv, and bio pulping. Kraft pulping method is still the most promising in terms of pulping and pulp properties. The problem of the high silica content of bamboo for kraft pulping has been overcome by pretreatment with sodium meta-aluminate and pre-extraction with 18% NaOH before kraft pulping. Considering bamboo’s growth and carbon sink properties, established chemical recovery in kraft pulping black liquor gasification in the future, and circular economy practices will be appropriate in kraft pulping of bamboo.