Paper Flashcards
What is the basic molecular composition of paper? what else is composed of this?
cellulose
cotton, wood
What is cellulose?
linear chain carbohydrate, repeated beta-1,4 glucan units linked
how are cellulose units linked?
covalent bonds (from OH on C4 and C1)
The chemical structure of paper makes it difficult to: __
process in solution or as a melt
What is a polymer?
large molecule made of small repeating units
What is a monomer?
molecule that combines with others (identical or different) through covalent bonds to form polymer
Examples of synthetic polymers:
rubber, nylon, polyethylene
True/False: all polymers are manufactured
False; many biological molecules are natural polymers
What are examples of natural polymers?
cellulose, starch, chitin, protins
What differentiates different polymers?
monomer units
molecular weight
branches/linking structure
What are sources of cellulose to make paper? (3)
Wood
Cotton/linen/straw (minor sources)
Recycled paper
What are the 2 main types of wood for paper? What are their characteristics?
Hardwood (short fibre, smooth paper, good printing, low strength)
Softwood (long fibre, strong, good fold strength, poor printing)
what trees are hardwood trees?
maple, birch
What trees are softwood trees?
pine, spruce (evergreens)
The main insoluble fibres in wood: (3)
lignin
hemicellulose
cellulose
The cellulose microfibrils in wood are contained within the _______, between the ____ and _____
primary wall
middle lamella, plasma membrane
The process of cellulose extraction is known as:
pulping
What are the main methods of pulping? (2)
mechanical
chemical
Characteristics of mechanical pulping: (5)
cheaper (yield 95%) break down fibres lignin remains weak, poor color easily discolored
Mechanically pulped paper is usually used for:
newsprint, egg cartons
Characteristics of Chemical pulping: (5)
expensive (yield 40-50%) low fibre breakdown lignin dissolved strong pulp (varies depending on chemical types/process)
True/False: Mechanical pulping yields high quality paper
False
For a very cheap wrapping paper, what type of pulping could be used?
mechanical (cheap, low quality/strength paper)
True/False: Chemically pulped paper will have lignin remaining
False; will be dissolved
True/False: Mechanically pulped paper has most fibres broken
True
What is “furnishing?”
cooking wood with chemicals to separate cellulose
What are common processes for paper furnishing?
Kraft (sulfate) process
Sulfite process
True/False: Sulfite process yields stronger paper
False (Kraft is stronger)
What is the origin of the name “kraft process”
Kraft is German for ‘strong’
What are the chemicals used in sulfate vs sulfite processes?
Sulfate: Alkaline (Na carbonate, NaOH, Na2S)
Sulfite: Acid (sulfurous acid, Na sulfite)
How does sulfite vs sulfate process affect final appearance of paper?
sulfite: white paper
sulfate: brown paper
True/False: Kraft process paper is easier to bleach
False; sulfite process paper is easier to bleach/refine
What are the stages the wood goes through in the kraft process?
wood chips -> cooked pulp -> washed pulp -> bleached pulp
What is the Kraft liquor cycle?
white liquor is used to cook/wash chips -> yields black liquor after cooking
black liquor is evaporated, burned, makeup chemicals added -> green liquor
Green liquor is causticized
yields new white liquor to continue cycle
What is white liquor composed of?
NaOH
Na2S
What is the composition of black liquor?
alkali lignin
hydrolysis salts
sulphonation products
What is the composition of green liquor?
Na2CO3
Na2S
What is the purpose of caustisizing?
convert Na2CO3 to NaOH (using CaO)
Where is CaO needed, and supplied from in the Kraft Liquor cycle?
needed for caustisizing step
supplied from lime kiln
True/False: wood chips are cooked and washed with Green liquor
False; with white liquor