Short notes PROLONGED IMPREGNATION OF BAMBOO CHIPSIN PRE-HYDROLYSIS KRAFT PULPING FOR DISSOLVING PULP PRODUCTION

The aim of the article was to compare the feasibility of different impregnation processes of chips and production of soluble bamboo pulp by the pre-hydrolysis kraft (PHK) method.The chips made of Bambusa vulgariswere subjected to prolonged or conventional impregnation with white liquor, followed by the pre-hydrolysis, neutralization, kraft cooking and washing stages. The brown pulp was subjected to a bleaching process using an elemental chlorine-free (ECF) sequence. The results showed that prolonged impregnation provided greater delignification and lower reagent consumption than conventional impregnation. The pulp produced from prolonged impregnation with 14% effective alkali (EA) presented the best properties for dissolution, with intrinsic viscosity of 437 dm3/kg, brightness of 88% ISO, xylan content of 3.48% and glycan content of 94.5%. TAC consumption was low for both impregnations. The study concluded that Bambusa vulgaris can be used in the production of dissolving pulp, mainly for viscose grade.