Chiang Mai Journal of Science

Sweet Bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper Backer) was raw material in this investigation and it was used to study all of basic bamboo properties and the effect of anthraquinone (AQ) addition on alkaline sulfite (AS) pulping. The results of laboratory indicated the important physical properties and fiber morphologies of sweet bamboo. They were 725 kg/m³; basic density, 60.2%; moisture content and their fiber dimensions were fiber length 3.1 mm, fiber width 18.0 mm, cell wall thickness 6.9 mm and cell lumen 4.4 mm, respectively. The chemical compositions of sweet bamboo illustrated holocellulose 76.3%, alpha-cellulose 68.1%, lignin 28.7% and ash 1.4%. Considering the increment of alkaline charge from 25 to 35% and the addition of 0.1% AQ in AS – pulping found that the kappa number of alkaline pulping with anthraquinone (AS-AQ) pulp was reduced 12.5 to 9.6 points but AS-pulping condition hadn’t affect AS-AQ pulped yield. The highest kappa number of AS-AQ pulps was evaluated unbleached pulp properties by PFI mill beating. The pulp beating revolution had more affect properties and less influenced optical properties of AS-AQ pulp. At 4,000 revs, presented the highest tensile index, 60.1 Nm/g and tear index, 27.9 mN.m²/g. In contrast to the highest burst index and fold endurance was observed at 5,000 and 7,000 revs. They were 3.3 kPa.m²/ g and 405 r/c respectively.