Towards a new concept of lignin condensation in kraft pulping. Initial results

• In kraft pulping, a comparatively large amount of lignin remains in the fibres after the cook. Based on various analytical techniques for lignin, such as thioacidolysis, GPC and NMR, it is suggested that lignin condensation reactions take place during the cook. The reaction seems, however, not to involve ionic intermediates as has been suggested previously but rather a one-electron mechanism with elemental sulphur as the initiator. Support for such a reaction has been found through kraft cooks in the presence of an added phenol, 2,6-xylenol, as well as through NMR analysis of kraft lignin. It was found that the added phenol is incorporated in the pulp lignin with linkages indicative of radical coupling. Furthermore, kraft lignin was found to contain substantial amounts of chemically linked fatty acids. By complementary analyses of sulphur and polysulphide in an industrial black liquor, the presence of these compounds throughout a kraft cook was demonstrated.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Pappers-, massa- och fiberteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Paper, Pulp and Fiber Technology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Condensation

Electron transfer reactions

Fatty acids

GPC

Kraft pulping

NMR analysis

Phenols

Thioacidolysis

Cellulose and paper engineering

Cellulosa- och pappersteknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)