Fascinating physical-chemical properties and fiber morphology of selected waste plant leaves as potential pulp and paper making agents

Abstract

The search for non-wood fibers as alternative to the limited wood fiber resources is highly imperative in the pulp and paper-based industries. This is due to growing environmental concern as a result of excessive deforestation. This study aimed at investigating the pulp and paper potentials of pineapple crown (Ananas comosus), sandbox (Hura crepitans), pino macho (Pinus caribaea), elephant grass (Pennissetum purpureum) and teak (Tectona grandis) leaves. Chemical properties (holocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, ash contents, hot water and 1% NaOH solubilities) were determined using the relevant TAPPI test and chlorite methods, while the physical properties were determined after the pulping processes. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) analyses of intrinsic functional groups of the paper sheets produced from the pulps of the waste plant leaves were determined. In addition, scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDX) analyses of the morphological characteristic and elemental compositions of the resulting hand sheet surfaces were also examined. P. caribaea has the highest lignin (80.22 ± 0.012%) and cellulose (72.30 ± 0.012%) contents with lowest 1% NaOH solubility (15.20 ± 0.05%) values. A .comosus has the highest hemicellulose (21.73 ± 0.1%) and moisture (75.00 ± 0.12%) contents with lowest ash values (5.01 ± 0.15%). The fibre lengths and the Runkel ratio of the resulting pulps were of the order, A. comosus > P. purpureum > P. caribaea > H. crepitans > T. grandis and A. comosus < P. caribaea < H. crepitans < T. grandis < P. purpureum respectively. Their surface morphologies, paper qualities and characteristics differ, but comparable with the earlier reported literatures on the pulps from wood and non-woody sources.