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Full Length Research
Paper
Evaluation
of pulp and paper making characteristics of elephant grass (Pennisetum
purpureum Schum) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum
L.)
I. C.
Madakadze1*, T. M. Masamvu1, T.
Radiotis2, J. Li2 and D. L. Smith3
1Department
of Plant Production and Soil Science, University of
Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
2Pulp
and Paper Research Institute of Canada, 570 St Jean
Boulevard, Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada.
3Department
of Plant Science, University of McGill, 21111 Lakeshore
Road, Ste-Anne-de Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
casper.madakadze@up.ac.za.
Tel: +27-12-420 3667. Fax: +27-12-420 4120.
Accepted 15 May, 2010 |
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Shortage of conventional raw material for the pulp and paper
products together with the increasing world demand for paper
has renewed interest in non-wood fibres. Non-wood pulping
capacity has been increasing steadily over the last decade.
A lot of crops grown for biomass, like switchgrass (Panicum
virgatum L.), are good examples of plants with potential
for pulp production. Raw material chemical composition,
kraft pulp yield and properties, and fibre characteristics
of elephant grass or hybrid pennisetum (Pennisetum
purpureum Schum. cv. SDPN3) and switchgrass (cv.
Cave-in-Rock) were determined in an effort to evaluate them
as raw materials for pulp and paper production. Elephant
grass had α-cellulose and Klasson lignin contents of 45.6
and 17.7%, respectively. The respective values for
switchgrass were 41.2 and 23.89%. Pulp yields, following a
mild kraft process, were 48 and 50% for switchgrass and
elephant grass, respectively. The corresponding kappa
numbers were 15.5 and 9.2. The weight-weighted fibre length
averaged 1.32 mm. Pulp freeness was higher for switchgrass
(330 mL) than for elephant grass (139 mL). Elephant grass
had a burst index above 5.85 kP.m2 g-1.
These characteristics demonstrate the suitability of both
elephant grass and switchgrass for pulp production.
Key words:
Grass pulp, kraft pulping, non-wood fibre, elephant grass,
switchgrass. |
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