Technological evaluation of Pinus maximinoi wood for industrial use in kraft pulp production

This study characterized Pinus maximinoi wood and evaluated its performance for pulp production. Samples of Pinus taeda wood were used as reference material. For both species, wood chips from 14-year-old trees were used for the technological characterization, pulping, bleaching process analysis, and pulp properties. A modified kraft pulping process was carried out targeting kappa number 28 +/- 5% on brownstock pulp. The bleaching sequence was applied for bleached pulp with final brightness of 87 +/- 1 % ISO. Refinability and resistance properties were measured in the bleached pulps. Compared to P. taeda wood, P. maximinoi showed slightly higher basic density (0.399 g/cm(3)) and higher holocellulose (64.5%), lignin (31.1%), and extractives content (4.5%), along with lower ash content (0.16%). P. maximinoi tracheids showed greater wall thickness (6.4 mu m) when compared to P. taeda tracheids. For the same kappa number, P. maximinoi and P. taeda resulted in similar screened yield, with an advantage observed for P. maximinoi, which resulted in lower specific wood consumption (5.281 m(3)/o.d. metric ton), and lower black liquor solids (1.613 metric tons/o.d. metric ton). After oxygen delignification, P. maximinoi pulp showed higher efficiency on kappa reduction (67.2%) and similar bleaching chemical demand as P. taeda pulp. Compared to P. taeda pulps, the refined P. maximinoi pulps had similar results and the bulk property was 10% higher. Results showed that P. maximinoi is an interesting alternative raw material for softwood pulp production in Brazil. Application: P. maximinoi wood is an alternative raw material for softwood pulp production in Brazil due to its higher growth rates in tropical zones, with greater volumetric productivity.