Abstract
Fibre hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) stems consist of high-cellulose low-lignin bark containing long fibres and low-cellulose high-lignin core containing short fibres. The bark, which contains a variable proportion of less valuable secondary bast fibre, is more valuable as a raw material for paper than the core. A study of the factors affecting the quality of hemp grown in The Netherlands for paper production is described. The bark content in the stem was determined by mechanically separating bark and core. The chemical composition of bark and core was determined according to procedures defined by the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. The secondary bast fibre content was determined by manually separating primary and secondary phloem tissue after boiling in a 2% NaOH solution. Bark content in the stem decreased during the growing season; at harvest in September it ranged from 30 to 35% depending on cultivar and plant density. The proportion of secondary bast fibre in the bast fibre fraction increased with stem weight, from 10 to 45%. Measurement of secondary bast fibre in a representative stem section allowed the proportion of this fibre in the bast fibre fraction of the entire stem to be estimated accurately. Differences in chemical composition within sets of samples of bark or core were small compared with the difference between bark and core. The bark of the French cultivars tested contained less cellulose than that of the Hungarian cultivars. Bark quality for paper making improved during the growing season because the cellulose content in the bark increased, whereas the content of lignin and extractives decreased.
Published Version
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