EVALUATIN OF NALITA WOOD(Trema orientalis) AS SOURCE OF FIBER FOR PARERMAKING

Nalita wood(Trema orientalis) is one of the fastest growing woods in the world. It may be a viable species for pulpwood. The physical, chemical and morphological properties of Nalita were studied. The total lignin, pentosan and holocellulose content in Nalita wood were 24.7%, 22% and 81.2%, respectively. Its fiber length was about 0.92 mm, which are comparable to Acacia mangium. Nitrobenzene oxidation of Nalita wood meal indicated that the guaciayl and syringyl unit were the major constituent of Nalita lignin. Nalita produced 50% pulp yield at Kappa number 21 in soda-anthraquinone process. The strength properties of Nalita pulp were comparable to other tropical hardwood pulp. At $40_{\circ}$ SR, the breaking length, burst index, tear index and total energy absorption were 6000 m, $3.5kPa{\cdot}m^2/g\;and\;7.0mN{\cdot}m^2/g\;and\;75J/m^2$, respectively.