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Suitability of wheat straw semichemical pulp for the fabrication of lignocellulosic nanofibres and their application to papermaking slurries

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Abstract

The present work studies the feasibility of wheat soda pulp as a raw material for the fabrication of cellulose nanofibres and their application as an additive in papermaking. Wheat straws were cooked under alkaline conditions and the resulting pulp was used as a raw material for the production of lignocellulosic nanofibres (LCNF). Nanofibres were fabricated by intense mechanical beating followed by high-pressure homogenization. The produced LCNF were characterized and applied to papermaking slurry based also on wheat straw soda pulp. Paper sheets made thereof were analysed for their physical and mechanical properties. The results indicated that paper strength was improved after addition of LCNF, whereas density increased and porosity was reduced. These improvements in properties (except the Tear Index) are significant because they were achieved using LCNF with lower fibrillation degree compared to previous works where chemically pre-treated LCNF were used as reinforcement.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Spain’s DGICyT, MICINN for funding this research within the framework of the Projects CTQ2013-46804-C2-2-R.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Science, University of Córdoba, Building Marie-Curie, Campus of Rabanales, Córdoba, Spain

    E. Espinosa & A. Rodríguez

  2. Group LEPAMAP, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Girona, c/M. Aurèlia Campmany, no 61, Girona, 17071, Spain

    Q. Tarrés, M. Delgado-Aguilar, I. González & P. Mutjé

Authors
  1. E. Espinosa
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  2. Q. Tarrés
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  3. M. Delgado-Aguilar
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  4. I. González
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  5. P. Mutjé
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  6. A. Rodríguez
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Correspondence to A. Rodríguez.

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Espinosa, E., Tarrés, Q., Delgado-Aguilar, M. et al. Suitability of wheat straw semichemical pulp for the fabrication of lignocellulosic nanofibres and their application to papermaking slurries. Cellulose 23, 837–852 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-015-0807-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-015-0807-8

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