The Morphological and Pulping Indices of Bagasse, Elephant Grass (Leaves and Stalk), and Silk Cotton Fibers for Paper Production

ABSTRACT

Non-wood fibers are projected as fast-growing resources and sustainable alternate materials to reduce deforestation and enhance efficiency in the pulp and paper industry. This paper addressed the paucity of data on the fiber morphological characteristics (Fiber Length, Diameter, Lumen Diameter, and Wall Thickness) and pulping properties (Slenderness Ratio, Rigidity Coefficient, Flexibility Coefficient, Runkel Ratio, Solids Factor, and Luce’s Shape Factor) for Silk Cotton, leaves and stalk of Elephant Grass and Sugarcane Bagasse found in Ghana, especially, as environmental variations may cause differences in regional data. Observed values for the studied parameters were within the suitable range for paper production and differed from those reported for other regions. Elephant Grass (stalk) and Bagasse that had higher values of Fiber Length (4101.42 ± 197.89 and 3960.20 ± 194.35 µm), Diameter (60.03 ± 1.82 and 59.85 ± 1.72 µm), Lumen Diameter (33.33 ± 1.76 and 35.97 ± 1.38 µm), Wall Thickness (13.35 ± 0.83 and 11.94 ± 0.55 µm), Slenderness Ratio (70.8 ± 4.2 and 67.2 ± 3.4), and Flexibility Coefficient (55.7 ± 2.3 and 55.7 ± 2.3) would perform better during paper production. They would exhibit good physico-mechanical properties suitable for manufacturing flexible, high tearing, elastic, dense, smooth, and well-formed papers with high tensile and bursting strengths. Silk Cotton may also produce good papers with low tearing index, well-bonded, rigid, bulky, and coarse textured.

摘要

预计非木材纤维将成为快速增长的资源和可持续替代材料, 以减少森林砍伐并提高制浆造纸行业的效率. 本文针对丝棉纤维形态特征(纤维长度、直径、内腔直径和壁厚) 和制浆性能 (长细比、刚度系数、柔韧性系数‘、朗克尔比、固形因子和卢斯形状因子) 数据不足的问题, 特别是在加纳发现的象草和甘蔗渣的叶子和茎, 因为环境变化可能导致区域数据的差异. 研究参数的观测值在纸张生产的合适范围内, 与其他地区的报告值不同. 纤维长度(4101.42±197.89和3960.20±194.35µm), 直径 (60.03±1.82和59.85±1.72µm)、内腔直径(33.33±1.76和35.97±1.38µm), 壁厚 (13.35±0.83和11.94±0.55µm), 细长比(70.8±4.2和67.2±3.4) 和柔韧性系数较高的象草 (茎) 和甘蔗渣 (55.7±2.3和55.7±2.3)将在纸张生产过程中表现更好. 它们将表现出良好的物理机械性能, 适用于制造具有高抗拉强度和耐破强度的柔性、高撕裂性、弹性、致密、光滑和成型良好的纸张. 丝棉还可以生产撕裂指数低、粘合良好、刚性好、体积大、质地粗糙的优质纸张.

KEYWORDS:

• Elephant Grass
• fiber dimensions
• non-wood materials
• paper
• pulping properties
• Silk Cotton

关键词:

• 象草
• 纤维尺寸
• 非木材材料
• 纸
• 制浆性能
• 丝棉

Acknowledgments

Our profound gratitude and appreciation go to Dr. Kwadwo Boakye Boadu, Mr. Michael Adashie, and Mr. Douglas Amoah for their help and support toward the success of this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).