Title
Pulp and papermaking properties of bamboo species Melocanna baccifera
Authors
SANDEEP KUMAR TRIPATHI OM PRAKASH MISHRA NISHI KANT BHARDWAJ and RAGHAVAN VARADHAN

Received August, 17, 2016
Published Volume 52 Issue 1-2 January-February
Keywords bamboo, bleaching, extractives, papermaking properties, pulping

Abstract
Pulp and paper making properties of bamboo species Melocanna baccifera were studied with a focus on the physical properties and chemical composition of bamboo chips, on pulping behavior, bleaching response, fiber morphology, refining behavior and strength properties of the bleached pulp. Melocanna baccifera species was found to have 52.8% cellulose, 21.1% hemicelluloses and 25.2% lignin, i.e. similar to hardwood. The produced pulp could be bleached to 89 ± 1% ISO brightness. The bleached pulp refined to 25 °SR had 54.6 Nm/g tensile index, 10.7 mN.m2/g tear index, 4.95 kN.m2/g burst index and 328 double folds. Also, the bleached pulp had an average fiber length of 1.68 mm, which is higher than that of hardwood pulp (0.88-1.1 mm), but lower than that of softwood pulp (2.2-3.5 mm). Meanwhile, the pulp had an average fiber width of 17.1 µm, which is similar to that of hardwood fiber (16-20 µm), but lower than that of softwood fiber (28-35 µm).