Iina Solala

Mechanoradical formation and its effects on birch kraft pulp during the preparation of nanofibrillated cellulose with Masuko refining

Abstract Masuko refining of unbleached kraft birch pulp has been noted to result in more thorough fibrillation than the refining of its bleached counterpart. This result is observed through different fractionation behavior of once refined pulps and is further supported by different relative changes in pulp viscosity. The formation of mechanoradicals during refining is observed with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the role of lignin and hemicelluloses [quantified using kappa number determination and UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy] in the progress of refining is discussed. Lignin, a known antioxidant, is capable of stabilizing radicals, which could potentially counteract recombination reactions between highly reactive cellulose radicals. On the other hand, lignin’s ability to promote fibrillation could also lie in its amorphous nature and not solely in its antioxidant characteristics. Furthermore, bleaching removes not only lignin but also hemicelluloses, which affects both the charge density and the structure of the fiber material, and this is another likely contributor to the easier fibrillation of lignin-containing pulps.

Spruce fiber properties after high-temperature thermomechanical pulping (HT-TMP)

Abstract Spruce was submitted to high-temperature (150°C–170°C) refining for 2 or 5 min to produce thermomechanical pulp (TMP) fibers with decreased electrical energy consumption. The pulp was characterized in terms of specific energy consumption as well as tensile and surface properties. The fibers from high-temperature TMP contained more surface lignin even if all sample types usually broke at the S1–S2 cell wall region. They also produced significantly weaker paper sheets, whereas their dry zero-span strength did not suffer substantial losses, indicating decreased fiber-fiber bonding. Tensile strength properties were also determined of a bisphenol-A-epichlorohydrin-based epoxy resin mixed with 5% fiber as a test for fiber-matrix compatibility in composite applications. Based on these preliminary results, high-temperature TMP shows potential for composite reinforcement due to its lower tendency to aggregate and its better compatibility with the tested matrix material.