Suitability of Sudanese Cotton Stalks for Alkaline Pulping with Additives

The fibre characteristics and chemical composition of Gossypium hirsutum, Sudanese cotton stalks, were assessed for their suitability for papermaking. Soda-anthraquinone (soda-AQ), alkaline sulphiteanthraquinone (AS-AQ) and ASAM (alkaline sulphite-anthraquinone- methanol) cooking was carried out with different alkali charges and pulps with acceptable to good yields and mechanical properties were obtained. ASAM pulping gave the best results in yields, degree of delignification and mechanical pulp properties. ASAQ pulp cooking with the ratio of 70: 30 as NaOH: Na SO gave better results compared to the ratio of 60: 40.