Bio-Chemi-Mechanical Pulping of Wheat Straw with Hot Water and Xylanase Pretreatment

Effect of hot water and xylanase pretreatment prior to soda treatment on chemi-mechanical pulping of wheat straw was studied. The results showed that pretreatment with hot water and xylanase prior to soda treatment improved tensile index and tear index of the chemi-mechanical pulp, and decreased soda consumption in chemical treatment stage. Compared to the controls, pretreatment with hot water and xylanase led to brightness decrease of chemi-mechanical pulp. However, the brightness of bleached pulp from pretreated wheat straw was higher in the same conditions of peroxide hydrogen bleaching. The suitable conditions of pretreatment with hot water were 90℃, 60min and with xylanase were 15 IU/g (on oven dry wheat straw), 48℃, 120min, pH 4.8, respectively.