Potential of using Two Types of Reed for Pulp and Paper Industry

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Forestry and Wood Technology- Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

2 Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

3 Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

4 Chemical Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo

Abstract

The objective of this study is to measure and evaluate the suitability of two types of reed, namely giant reed (Arundo donax) and common reed (Phragmites australis) as non-woody raw materials using soda-anthraquinone (AQ) pulping process for pulp and paper industry. Two fractions of reed were used to produce experimental papersheets. The two fractions are woody stem and whole plant including woody stem, leaves, and sheathes. The biometric characteristics, such as extractive solvents, chemical, morphological properties, and physical properties in addition to some strength properties of the papersheets made from these resources were measured. The results indicated that P.australis had the highest contents of cellulose, hemicellulose and ash were 53.5%, 33.9% and 3.9%, respectively while the lowest lignin content value was 13.6%. Fiber length of both types of fiber length were also determined as 1800μm and 1400μm. The derived Runkel ratio and flexibility coefficient for P. australis were also determined as 1.25, 61.4, respectively. Overall strength properties of pulp and papersheets made from the two reed types were significantly different from each other. Based on the results of this study, it appears that both types of reed, giant reed and common reed could have a potential to be used as an alternative raw material for pulp and paper production with accepted properties.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics