EVALUATION OF PULP AND PAPER MAKING CHARACTERISTICS OF CERTAIN FAST-GROWING PLANTS

Four species of fast growing annual plant viz. Hibiscus sabdariffa, Cr otalaria juncea, Tephrosia candida and Hibiscus cannabinus and a varie ty of reed, Neyraudia reynaudiana were evaluated in the laboratory for their pulp and paper making properties. Data on proximate chemical an alysis of I aw materials, unbleached and bleached pulp properties, mor phological properties of fibres and physical strength properties of pa per sheets were evaluated. The unbleached pulp yields were 44.90-53.20 % with all the five plant materials, while bleached pulp yields varied from 39.80-50.60%. The average fibre lengths and diameters of the unb leached pulp obtained from the five plant species were within the rang e of 0.75 mm-2.15 mm and 20-22 mu m respectively. Paper hand sheets, m ade with bleached pulps (45 degrees SR) obtained from the five pliant species, gave burst indices 2.75-3.92 kPa m(2)/g, tear indices 3.73-9. 61 m N m(2)/g and tensile indices 37.27-47.81 N mg(-1), indicating ade quate strength properties for writing and printing type of paper.