Biochemimechanical Pulping of Bamboo Chips: Fungi Pretreatment Effect on Pulp Properties and Fiber Morphology

Pretreatment of bamboo chips with lignin-degrading fungi can improve the strength properties of unbleached mechanical pulp. Strength properties were compared in handsheets prepared from chemimechanical Pulp of treated and untreated bamboo chips. Comparing to the control pulp, the tensile index, burst index and internal bonding were increased by 18.71%, 12.6 % and 12.7%, respectively. However, the tear index was reduced a little and no particular change was observed in zero-span strength. Fungal pretreatment samples resulted better in Pulp strength properties than the control sample. Electron microscopes (SEM and TEM) were also used to identify pulp morphology changes brought by fungal pretreatment. The biochemimechanical pulp appeared more fibrillation, looser, woolly than control pulp fibers. Changes in fiber surface and internal cell wall structure were contributed to the strength properties improvement.