SOY CHEMICALS FOR PAPER PROCESSING - Soy New Uses

methods. In bio-pulping, the wood chips are treated with lignin degrading fungi undercontrolled conditions.Pulp ProcessingDuring production, the pulp feedstock includes the cellulose source and a large amount ofprimarily high volume commodity chemicals such as acids, alkalis, chlorine and sulfatebleaching chemicals, defoamers, dispersants and descaling compounds to aid in the followingprocess steps prior to papermaking:1. Digesting or cooking removes the lignin.2. Defibrillation ensures that the fibers are separate after cooking.3. Deknotting removes any uncooked wood chips.4. Brown Stock washing to remove residual cooking liquor.5. Delignification and bleaching if required to obtain bright, white papers.6. Screening, cleaning and thickening prior to pump storage, blending, drying andpackaging in sheets or rolls if not immediately used in papermaking.Pulp TypesFIGURE 7GRADES OF PULP USED FOR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONSPULP GRADEAPPLICATIONMARKET SIZE - 2010Million TonsCOST - 2010Metric TonMarket Paper 45 $900 - $1,000Dissolving Acetate and Rayon Fibers 5.1 $2,000Fluff Absorbents 5.1 $1,050EucalyptusPrint and Writing, Towel andTissue, Acetate Fibers15 $730De-inked Newsprint, Writing, Tissue 40 - 50 $425 - $600A current research project sponsored by the United Soybean Board is aimed at defining thepotential value of soy hulls as a cellulose source for dissolving pulps because of the high alphacontent and short fiber length. Dissolving pulps typically come from the sulfite process, arebright white in color and used in the production of regenerated cellulose for textiles,cellophane, various acetates and cellulose derivatives including carboxymethyl cellulose.Specialty filter papers and tea bags are also made from these pulps.15