New Strength Agent: Corn Stalk Pulp Applied on Package Board

Abstract

The feasibility of making new strength agent by cooking corn stalk rich in hemicellulose was studied. Corn stalk was cooked by normal ethanol pulping with best process parameters obtained by early discovery. The effect of corn stalk agent on physical strength of package board (made by 20% mineral fibre and 80% recycled fibre) was discussed as well. After cooked, all of the corn stalk suspension was added into the mixed pulp directly. Results showed that the package boards physical properties improved greatly. Tensile index, ring crush index, bursting index and folding index increased by 39.6%, 35.4%, 26.6% and 100% respectively at dosage of 5% while tear index and tightness changed slightly under the same conditions.