Effect of inorganic acid catalyst on the Acetosolv pulping of maize stalk

Maize stalk is subjected to acetic acid pulping under a variety of conditions such as acetic acid concentration, catalyst (HCl or H 2 SO 4 ) concentration, cooking time, temperature and liquor ratio. The maize stalk could not defibered below 70% acetic acid concentration, or without catalyst. Delignification increased with increasing HCl concentration up to 0.5%, yet, in the case of H 2 SO 4 , delignification continued over the entire range of catalyst concentration. H 2 SO 4 -catalysed acetic acid pulp produced lower kappa number and higher properties than HCl-catalysed acetic acid pulp. On peroxide bleaching, HCl-catalysed acetic acid pulp produced higher brightness properties than H 2 SO 4 -catalysed pulp.