Refining of bleached hardwood pulps and bleached softwood pulps having different counter-ions to the charged groups within the fibres was studied. The results show that an energy reduction of 50% for the hardwood pulps and 20% for the softwood pulp…

Cellulosic ethanol production has drawn much attention in recent years. However, there remain significant technical challenges before such production can be considered as economically feasible at an industrial scale. Among them, the efficient conversion of carbohydrates in lignocellulosic biomass into…

The sorption of vapors by cellulose samples and by some cellulose derivatives was studied at 25 oC. To describe sorption isotherms, a thermodynamic equation was proposed: A=Ao/[1-(RT/g)lnφ], where Ao is maximal sorption value, φ is relative pressure of vapors, and…

Standard handsheets of bleached bagasse and hardwood pulps were prepared with calcium carbonate filler loading by conventional method and by in-situ precipitation. The handsheets were printed with an IGT printability tester. The effect of filler loading by in-situ precipitation on…

This paper reviews the physical and chemical characteristics of fibers from the stem, fronds, and empty fruit bunches of oil palm tree in relation to their papermaking properties. Challenges regarding the use of this nonwood material for papermaking are raised,…

The possibility of using treated oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibres as substrate for cellulase production by Aspergillus terreus was studied using shaking flask fermentation. The effect of different chemical pretreatments, i.e. formic acid, acetic acid, propylamine, phosphoric acid,…

In this study, variation in acoustic properties of Arizona cypress wood was monitored from pith to bark as affected by tapering of the growth ring width. Specific modulus of elasticity, acoustic coefficient, damping, and acoustic conversion efficiency were calculated. It…

An investigation was conducted on the adsorption of oxymatrine (OMT) on a spherical cellulose adsorbent embedded with wattle bark tannin. The results showed that the adsorption of the OMT on the adsorbent was solution pH dependent and the adsorption process…

A study was made of the classification of pulp, paper, and peat particles by size with a device called a tube flow fractionator. An accurate and simple experimental model was formulated in order to estimate the time required for fractionation,…

Levulinic acid (LA), 4-oxo-pentanoic acid, is a new platform chemical with various potential uses. In this paper, catalytic hydrogenation and oxidation of levulinic acid were studied. It was shown from experiments that levulinic acid can be hydrogenated to γ-valerolactone (GVL)…