Preparation of vulcanized Fibers from kenaf pulps and improving of their strength properties.

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Using two kinds of kenaf bast fiber, JBF (harvested in Japan) and CBF (harvested and retted in China), effective pulping and preparation of vulcanized fibers were investigated and their properties were compared with the vulcanized fiber from cotton linter pulp (the major raw material).The soda-AQ and kraft puips of CBF had lower kappa number and ash content with greater pulp yield than those of JBF.The handsheets prepared from kenaf bast fi ber pulps showed high absorption value of zinc chloride. In general, the strengths (tensile and ply-bond), density, elongation and glucose content of the handsheets were increased and their opacity, thickness, crystalinity and xylose content were decreased after vulcanization. Under the same treatment conditions employed, the unbleached samples of CBF with low lignin content were affected more than those of JBF with higher lignin content by vulcanization processes and accordingly gained better strengths. However, in the case of bleached samples, there was no significant difference observed between of vulcanized samples of both bast fibers and they were quite compalable to those of cotton linter.SEM observation revealed the gelatinization of the fiber surfaces and the progress of the fiber-to-fiber bonding as a result of vulcanization. The data obtained here show that the kenaf bast fiber pulps could be employed as a potential raw material for vulcanized fiber. The wet strength properties were improved by acetylation of the fiber sheets.