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Spruce was submitted to high-temperature (150°C-170°C) refining for 2 or 5 min to produce thermomechanical pulp (TMP) fibers with decreased electrical energy consumption. The pulp was characterized in terms of specific energy consumption as well as tensile and surface properties. The fibers from high-temperature TMP contained more surface lignin even if all sample types usually broke at the S1-S2 cell wall region. They also produced significantly weaker paper sheets, whereas their dry zero-span strength did not suffer substantial losses, indicating decreased fiber-fiber bonding. Tensile strength properties were also determined of a bisphenol-A-epichlorohydrin-based epoxy resin mixed with 5% fiber as a test for fiber-matrix compatibility in composite applications. Based on these preliminary results, high-temperature TMP shows potential for composite reinforcement due to its lower tendency to aggregate and its better compatibility with the tested matrix material.

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