Achieving Refining Energy Savings and Pulp Properties for Poplar Chemithermomechanical Pulp Improvement through Optimized Autohydrolysis Pretreatment

Pretreatment of biomass is expected to improve the pulp properties and facilitate the main components in the raw materials to be better used. In this work, the refining energy consumption and properties of the poplar chemithermomechanical pulp (CTMP) from different autohydrolysis pretreatment intensities of wood chips were investigated, and the pulp bleaching ability was also studied. The results showed that the CTMP with autohydrolysis pretreatment at a severity factor of 3.47 could have a 26% energy reduction in pressurized refining, a 60% energy saving in PFI refining, and 44% and 46% increases in tensile and tear indices, respectively. Autohydrolysis pretreatment prior to pulping could result in CTMP with a higher water retention value, higher fines content, better strength properties, lower shives content, and lower bulk and ISO brightness after PFI refining. The brightness of CTMP can be improved by alkaline peroxide bleaching.