WATER HYACINTH - A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF RAW-MATERIAL FOR GREASEPROOF PAPER

The potential use of water hyacinth as a pulp material for producing g reaseproof paper was investigated The proximate chemical analyses of t he raw materials, the morphology of the water hyacinth stalk and fibre , pulp characteristics, and data on the physical properties of the pap er hand-sheers formed from water hyacinth and bamboo pulps and their b lends are presented. A comparative study, of the pulp freeness (degree s SR) and drainage properties of water hyacinth and bamboo pulps showe d that with a high freeness value of the pulps the drainage time incre ased. Blending of water hyacinth and bamboo pulps increased the physic al strength. Paper hand-sheets made with a blend of water hyacinth pul p (75 degrees SR) and bamboo pulp (80 degrees SR), at 75:25 proportion , gave a tear index of 4.90 mN m(2) g(-1), tensile index of 51.10 N mg (-1) and burst index of 7.25 kPa m(2) g(-1). These were higher than th e values obtained from sheets made with pulp blends (water hyacinth : bamboo) of 80:20 or 90:10. The pulp sheets at a blend proportion of 75 :25 also gave satisfactory greaseproof properties.