PROPERTIES OF SULPHATE- AND SODA-ANTHRAQUINONE PULPS FROM OIL PALM TRUNK

Abstract

Fibrous strands from the oil palm trunk were pulped by the sulphate and soda processes with and without anthraquinone. The addition of only 0.1% anthraquinone in both sulphate and soda pulping gave rise to higher yield and lower kappa number, especially at 11 and 13% active alkali for the sulphate cooks and 18% for the soda cooks. However, all the anthraquinone cooks, whether bleached or unbleached, did not show any marked general improvement in strength properties over the normal cooks except for the bursting strength in the soda anthraquinone cook.