Enhancing hemicelluloses removal from a softwood sulfite pulp

Area of Science:

• Biomass processing
• Pulp and paper science
• Biochemical engineering

Background:

• Hemicelluloses removal is crucial for biomass bioconversion and high-quality dissolving pulp production.
• Softwood sulfite pulp requires efficient pretreatment methods for industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a sequential treatment for hemicelluloses removal from softwood sulfite pulp.
• To compare the effectiveness of cold caustic extraction (CCE) and hot caustic extraction (HCE) on different fiber fractions.

Main Methods:

• Pulp fractionation to separate long and short fiber fractions.
• Sequential treatment involving cold caustic extraction (CCE) and hot caustic extraction (HCE).
• Analysis of hemicelluloses content, specific surface area, pore diameter, selectivity, and yield.

Main Results:

• Long-fiber fraction exhibited lower hemicelluloses content and smaller specific surface area but larger pore diameter than the short-fiber fraction.
• Hemicelluloses removal was more effective in the long-fiber fraction compared to the short-fiber fraction under both CCE and HCE conditions.
• Hemicelluloses removal selectivity and pulp yield were also evaluated for both fiber fractions and treatment methods.

Conclusions:

• Sequential pulp fractionation followed by caustic extraction is an effective strategy for hemicelluloses removal from softwood sulfite pulp.
• The long-fiber fraction is more responsive to hemicelluloses removal via CCE and HCE, offering potential for optimized pulp processing.
• Understanding fiber characteristics is key to enhancing hemicelluloses removal efficiency in biomass pretreatment.