KRAFT PULPING AND BLEACHING OF TREMA ORIENTALIS (NALITA)

Trema orientalis (Nalita) was subjected to kraft pulping by varying both the active alkali and the cooking time. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the influence of the active alkali and cooking time on total pulp yield, screened pulp yield, kappa number, viscosity (bleached and unbleached pulp), ClO(2) consumption and final brightness. The derived equations of these dependent variables were satisfactorily fitted. The results indicated that T orientalis could be pulped to obtain about 45-48% screened yield at kappa numbers between 18 and 23. The active alkali showed a more selective effect on pulping than the cooking time. The bleachability of T. orientalis pulp was improved with increasing delignification; consequently, the pulp obtained by higher alkali showed better bleachability.