Page "Paper engineering" Paragraph 8

The process of chemical pulping is used to chemically disband the lignin found in the cell walls of the material undergoing the process.

After the cellulose fibers are separated from the lignin, a pulp is created which can then be treated to create durable paper, boxes, and corrugated cardboard.

Chemical pulping can be characterized by two main methods: sulfate ( Kraft process ) pulping and sulfite pulping, and these two methods have different benefits.

Sulfate pulping can be performed on a wide range of tree varieties and results in the creation of a strong type of paper.

Conversely, sulfite pulping results in a higher volume of pulp which is easier to bleach and process.

However, sulfate pulping is more widely used since the product is more durable and the chemicals used in the process can be recovered, thus resulting in minimal environmental pollution.