Development of a novel pulping method without generating wastewater using a sodium hydroxide pretreatment and steam explosion

A novel pulping method without generating pollutants consists of a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment followed by steam explosion was proposed and evaluated in this investigation. The cellulose component (degree of glucose polymerization: about 500) from Eucalyptus globlus chips treated with 10 g center dot dm(-3) NaOH and then exploded with steam at 2.5 MPa for a steaming time of 5 min, was converted into pulp with physical properties almost the same as those of conventional hardwood pulp.