Ethanol pulping from tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus LF ssp palmensis).: A new promising source for cellulose pulp

The chemical characteristics of tagasaste trimming wood and eucalyptus wood are similar in ash, holocellulose, lignine, xylan, and acetyl groups. Then, tagasaste wood could be an adequate raw material for pulp and paper making. Therefore, the influence of independent variables in the pulp processing of tagasaste with ethanol-water mixtures (ethanol concentration, time, pulping temperature, wash temperature, and disintegrate temperature) on various properties of the pulp (yield, kappa number, viscosity, brightness, and stretch related properties of paper sheets) was studied to determine the best processing conditions to obtain quality pulp and paper sheets. Using medium to high (185-200 degreesC) pulping temperatures and ethanol concentration (60-80%), suitable physical characteristics of paper sheets and an acceptable yield, the kappa index, and viscosity could be obtained. Wash and disintegrate temperatures have an influence on all the dependent variables, especially on the yield and the tensile index. A high wash temperature and a disintegrate temperature must be used in order to ensure that the pulp and the resulting paper sheets will possess optimal properties.