Synthesis, Optimization and Characterization of Pulp from Banana Pseudo Stem for Paper Making via Soda Anthraquinone Pulping Process

Abstract

AbstractThe need for pulp and paper currently in the whole world has become shooting up massively. The generation of the pulp, as well as paper from woody materials, has a challenge due to deforestation, huge chemical and energy consumptions. Now, another source for pulp and paper is lignocelluloses wastes materials, because of low cost, low energy, and chemical consumption. Among them, the pseudo stem was best for the input of pulp and paper production. This investigation was on the production and characterization of pulp from Banana Pseudo Stem for Paper Making via Soda Anthraquinone pulping process. The amount of cellulose (41.45%), ash (12.4%), hemicellulose (23.37%), extractive (12.72%), and lignin (10.46%) contents were obtained at the initial compositional evaluation of the pseudo stem. It has excellent fiber length (1.75 mm), fiber diameter (22.15 µm), an acceptable Runkle ratio (0.55), and flexibility coefficient (159.64). The effect of temperature (130, 140 and 150 ℃), cooking time (45, 60, and 75 min), the concentration of soda (10, 12.5, and 15%), were examined. The maximum yield and kappa number of pulp was 36.7% and 22.8 respectively obtained at 10% of soda concentration, at 150 ℃, and 63 min of cooking time from oven-dried raw material. The produced paper from the pseudo stem has a tensile index, tearing index, smoothness, and porosity were 78.75 Nm/g, 19.1 mN.m2/g, 500–530 µm, and 50 s/100ml air respectively. This study indicates that high strength mechanical property and good surface properties paper can be produced from pseudo stem pulp with a more environmentally friendly pulping process.KeywordsBanana pseudo stemFiberPulpPaperTemperatureCooking timeSoda concentration