EFFECTS OF POLY-ALUMINUM CHLORIDE, STARCH , ALUM AND ROSIN ON THE ROSIN SIZING, STRENGTH AND MICROSCOPIC APPEARANCE OF PAPER PREPARED FROM OLD CORRUGATED CONTAINER (OCC) PULP

The influence of rosin (0.1-0.3%), alum (0.4-0.6%), polyaluminum chloride (0.3-0.7%), and starch (0.5-1.5%) in the making of paper from old corrugated container (OCC) pulp on the freeness, breaking length, tear index, and burst index of pulp and paper sheets was studied. Using a full factorial design to identify the optimum operating conditions, equations relating the dependent variables to the operational variables of the chemical additives were derived that reproduced the former with errors lower than 5%. Using a high starch (1.5%), high PAC (0.7%), low alum (0.4%), and low rosin (0.1%) combination led to pulp that was sufficient to obtain paper with good strength properties (breaking length 5720m; burst index: 3.1 kPam2g-1; tear index: 6.2mNm2/g; Cobb test: 94; fold endurance: 1.52) SEM analysis show increasing in bonding between fibers together at this level of additives. The influence of starch on Cobb test values was not significant

Influence of hydrothermal treatment on the dimensional stability of beech wood

Hydrothermal treatment of wood material products with many interesting properties such as enhanced dimensional stability, lower equilibrium moisture content and increased biological durability. The effects of hydrothermal treatment on dimensional stability, oven dry density and water absorption of beech wood (Fagus Orientalis) naturally grown, has been studied in present research that extremely used in Iran. Hydrothermal applied to the wood samples (2.5Cm?2.5Cm?2.5Cm) in three different temperatures (150 oC, 160 oC, 170 oC) and four different durations (1h, 3h, 5h and 7h) in reactor. Then, the samples and their controls were immersed in water at 25 oC, 65% relative humidity for various periods. Volumetric swelling percentage and rate of the water absorption values of the samples and their controls were measured at a period of 24 hour in 8 steps on basis of oven dried dimension. The obtained data were analyzed using Microsoft Office (EXCEL 2003). The data analysis indicated that best anti-swelling efficiency value was achieved at 170 oC (treating temperature) within 1 hour (treating time) and 8 steps of soaking - dried measurement by hydrothermal treatment. Consequences for anti-swelling efficiency, decreasing of samples specific gravity, water absorption and water repellency effectiveness values obtained 27.95%, 8.49%, 56.41% and 20.20% respectively. Therefore, hydrothermal treatment showed a little decreasing at 150 oC to 170oC in specific gravity of treatment samples because maximum lessening of specific gravity obtained 8.02% in the highest condition of treatmentDimensional stability after final soaking

Date Palm Nanofibres and Composites

International audienceOver the last decades, the development of renewable resources of fibres was intensified, which amplified the market request of such a raw material. This is due to three potential advantages associated with these natural substances, namely: very cheap, bio-renewable and their availability in large quantities with various varieties forms. This chapter is devoted to the discussion of the potential valorization of the date palm waste to prepare fibres and nanofibres. This agricultural waste has lately noticed considerable attention, as an important source to produce cellulosic fibres, especially in forest-poor regions. The morphologies features, the chemical composition of date palm and their comparison with different lignocellulosic fibres sources are described. Then, the delignification methods and characterization of fibres from date palm are also presented. Finally, the preparation of nanocellulose (Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibres (CNF)) and their use as nanofibre-reinforced nanocomposite materials will be detailed and discussed