Abstract
AbstractPrehydrolysis and cold caustic extraction (CCE) are two effective approaches to convert the traditional Kraft pulp to a dissolving‐grade pulp. Compared to prehydrolysis, CCE has several positive attributes but reduces final pulp reactivity. To gain insight into the factors that influence the reactivity of CCE treated cellulose, we compared the surface morphology, supramolecular properties and fibre properties of commercial dissolving pulp from prehydrolysis to dissolving grade cellulose upgraded using CCE. CCE treatment promoted the fibril aggregation and modified the initial cellulose I on Kraft pulps to cellulose II, thus decreasing final pulp reactivity. Various “post‐treatments” such as mechanical refining, steam explosion, induction of fibre kink and curl, sulfuric acid hydrolysis and endoglucanase hydrolysis effectively recover the reactivity lost during the production of dissolving pulp cellulose using a CCE step. Mechanical refining combined with endoglucanase treatment had the greatest effect increasing the reactivity from 32% to 75%.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
