ORGANOSOLV PULPING OF POPLAR WOOD FROM SHORT-ROTATION INTENSIVE CULTURE PLANTATIONS

This study investigates the suitability of the ethanol organosolv proc ess to pulp poplar wood from short-rotation intensive culture (SRIC) p lantations. Wood chips were prepared from 9-year-old SRIC debarked pop lar logs (Populus deltoides x trichocarpa 'Donk'), and they were subje cted to ethanol/water organosolv pulping in lab-scale batch reactors. The effect of the main process variables (i.e., time, temperature, eth anol concentration) on the pulp yield and quality was examined. Upon p rocess optimization, the papermaking properties of the pulp obtained w ere determined. The most selective conditions in terms of delignificat ion and pulp viscosity were found at an ethanol concentration of 60% ( v/v) in water, a pulping time of 210 min and, a temperature of 195 C. Under these conditions, good delignification was achieved (kappa no. 2 0.2), with pulp yields of 54.3%, and degree of polymerization (DP) val ues ranging from 1,900 to 2,000. The strength properties of handsheets made from the SRIC poplar organosolv pulp were in the same range, exc ept for a lower tear factor, as those reported for hardwood (semi-) ch emical pulps. The results obtained indicate the promising potentials o f the organosolv process for the chemical pulping of fast-grown poplar wood cultivated in short rotations.