Identification Of The Appropriate Pulping Techniques And Optimization Of The Pulping Conditions For The Cymbopogon Nardus And Paspalum Notatum

ABSTRACT The anxiety about the future supply wood as raw material for pulp has caused fresh search in non-conventional fibrous materials for pulp and paper production. But the quality and quantity of pulp and paper depend on the pulping methods and conditions. This study evaluated the pulping techniques and conditions for Cymbopogon Nardus and Paspalum notatum grasses. Soda and Kraft pulpingtechniques were evaluated at varied liquor charges and temperatures using the kappa number as the main response which significantly correlated with both control variables. Appreciable lignin removal occurred at soda charge of 15. Kappa number of 24.4 was achieved for the two grasses at the soda charge of 25 and 160oC and 31.0 and 25.9 at a sulphidity of 30 and active alkali of 20 at the same temperature for Cymbopogon Nardus and Paspalum notatum respectively. The model equations agreed with experimental data. The two methods and conditions did not significantly differ for the two plant materials.