Dissolution of fibre material in alkaline pre-treatment and refining of spruce CTMP

The chemistry of chemithermomechanical pulping (CTMP) was assessed by chemical pre-treatment of spruce chips, followed by laboratory-scale refining. Pretreatments with alkali, sulfite, alkaline sulfite and alkaline peroxide liquors were carried out at 40 degrees C, 60 degrees C and 80 degrees C. The sodium hydroxide dosages were 1% and 2% and the sodium sulfite and hydrogen peroxide dosages were 2%, 4% and 6% on a dry wood basis. Process water samples were taken before and after refining. Alkali consumption in the pre-treatments and the amount and composition of released wood components were determined. A major part of the alkali was consumed in the alkaline and alkaline sulfite pre-treatments. In the alkaline peroxide pre-treatments, however, alkali consumption was considerably lower. Acetic acid was the main wood component released to the process waters in alkaline pre-treatments. Pectins, determined as galacturonic acid and rhamnose by acid methanolysis, were also released to some extent, as well as easily soluble polysaccharides. After fibre separation in refining, more hemicelluloses and pectins were released. There was a significant difference between the degree of demethylation for pectins and the degree of deacetylation for galactoglucomannans after the pre-treatments. The diffusion of chemicals into the secondary wall layers seemed to be slower than the liquor penetration into the porous middle lamella through the pit pores. Up to 10% of the pectins were dissolved in the process waters as a result of depolymerisation and extensive demethylation. The residual amount of pectins in the fibres, however, was determined to be as low as 65-70% of the initial pectin content.