Biobased fibrils including MFC have focused on various industrial applications to replace their counterparts from petro-based materials. Kneading at high pulp consistency could be a simple prefibrillation process, leading to micronization of pulp into microfiber, fines, and fibrils with low energy consumption. The degree of fibrillation/micronization of a thin bamboo pulp with kneading was very limited compared to a thick softwood pulp showing a significant fibrillation/micronization, suggesting that the impact of kneading process on fibrillation/micronization depends on raw materials, pulping conditions, and pretreatments. Therefore, in this study, bamboo and softwood organosolv pulps prepared with various pulping reaction times were subjected to microwave irradiations to investigate the degree of fibrillation/micronization at a given kneading treatment. The water retention value, freeness, morphology of the micronized fibrils as well as the mechanical properties of the fibril films will be discussed.

Impacts of microwave irradiation and kneading on fibrillation/micronization of organosolv pulps

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