Soda Pulp Properties from Corn Stalk as Raw Material

ABSTRACT Corn stalk is the lignocellulosic biomass, which remain as leftover after harvesting. To use the corn stalk as raw material for paper industry, soda pulping was applied. In chemical compositional analysis, extractive contents of corn stalk (45.1%) was higher than hard-wood. With corn stalk pith, soda pulp yield was 25.3% at 10.6 Kappa number, but 39.5% yield with 14.8 Kappa number for corn stalk rind. Higher extractives content in pith is one of the reason for lower pulp yield than rind. Pith pulp fibers had higher fines content than rind pulp. Pith parenchyma cell was removed as fines during pulping or washing process, which caused the lower yield. To use the corn stalks as a raw material for paper making, de-pith process is essential for higher pulp yield and longer pulp length.Keywords: Corn stalk, soda pulp, Kappa number, morphological properties http://dx.doi.org/10.7584/ktappi.2015.47.6.073Journal of Korea TAPPIVol. 47. No. 6, 2015, 73-80pISSN (Print): 0253-3200Printed in Korea