Pure and Applied Chemistry

Abstract: A series of oxygen delignification experiments were performed on two softwood kraft pulps that had differing starting lignin contents. One had an initial kappa of 40 and the other 25, corresponding to lignin contents of 6% and 3.75% by dry mass, respectively. Several chemical process modifications were examined to determine their influence over the delignification selectivity and final pulp viscosity. A 2k factorial format was used to assess the significance of varying the temperature, time, and Mg/Mn ratio during the oxygen delignification of the pulps. It was found that the lower lignin content pulp displayed greater delignification selectivity than the higher lignin content pulp. Kappa numbers, viscosity values, and ICP metals contents were determined and are the basis of discussion for the results obtained.