Effects of Hot Water Pre-Extraction on Energy Consumption and Brightness of Bamboo Alkaline Peroxide Mechanical Pulp

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of hot water pre-extraction (HWP) on the refining energy consumption and the brightness of bamboo alkaline peroxide mechanical pulp (APMP). It was found that compared with un-extraction, the refining energy consumption dropped by about one-third after HWP. The reduction of energy consumption was proved through enhancing the channel of water and chemicals into inferior fiber based on the surface characterization of bamboo. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the HWP made the fibers' structure loose and porous. Both pore volume and specific surface area were increased significantly after HWP, by 260.00% and 1804.76%, respectively. A decrease in pulp brightness was mainly due to the formation of new chromophore groups during the HWP process. The results of 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR) illustrated that some structures of milled wood lignin (MWL), such as guaiacyl, etherificated guaiacyl, and aromatic units, were increased during the HWP process. However, some lignin-links units of α-O-4, β-O-4, and some carbohydrate structures such as xylan, α- and β-glucose, and β-and β-mannose in lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) were evidently degraded. Additionally, most of the lignin and LCC were degraded under the simulative conditions of HWP bamboo. Furthermore, the analysis of UV spectrophotometry indicated that HWP was conductive to the generation of chromophore groups such as conjugated carbonyl, catechol, and o-benzoquinone.