Abstract
Kraft and thermomechanical (TMP) pulps were prepared and evaluated from lodgepole pine and mixed Douglas-fir/western larch sawmill residue chips; lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, and western larch submerchantable logs; and lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, and western larch small trees and tops. Kraft pulp from small trees and tops was identical to that from submerchantable logs, except for Douglas-fir submerchantable logs. Lodgepole pine showed higher yield than western larch at the same target kappa levels. The handsheet properties of western larch from different raw material sources were the same. However, there were differences in tensile and tear indexes for lodgepole pine from different raw material sources. Douglas fir submerchantable logs produced higher burst index than the small trees and tops. Thermomechanical pulp prepared from Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine small trees and tops had equal or better paper properties than pulp from sawmill residue chips of the same species. Thermomechanical pulp prepared from Douglas-fir, western larch, and lodgepole pine submerchantable logs and western larch small trees and tops had lower paper properties than pulp from sawmill residue chips of the same species. Thermomechanical pulp prepared from lodgepole pine submerchantable logs and western larch small trees and tops had the poorest properties of the eight raw materials evaluated. The results indicate that submerchantable logs and small trees and tops are suitable for pulping.
Keywords
Smallwood,
Pulps,
Pulping,
Paper,
Chemical pulping,
Thermomechanical pulping,
Ecosystem management,
Kraft pulping,
Paper properties,
Pulp properties,
Handsheets,
Lodgepole pine,
Douglas-fir,
Western larch
Citation
Myers, G.C.; Kumar, S.; Gustafson, R.R.; Barbour, R.J.; Abubakr, S.M. 1997. Pulp quality from small-diameter trees. Role of wood production in ecosystem management : proceedings of the Sustainable Forestry Working Group at the IUFRO All Division 5 Conference, Pullman, Washington, July 1997. Madison, Wis. : USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 1997. General technical report FPL ; GTR-100.:p. 80-89
