Soda process

Description

A chemical method of producing paper pulp from wood and other plants using Sodium hydroxide. It was developed in 1851. This process is not in common use today, since it is not as effective as kraft pulping. However, the soda process is preferred for many types of non-wood paper pulps, such as Grass and Straw.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Soda pulp; hardwood bleached soda; hardwood soda

Other Properties

When stained with Graff "C" stain, soda pulp can appear in a range of colors depending on the wood type and the amount of bleaching. Unbleached soda pulps will appear yellow or grey/green. With increased bleaching, pulps will appear lighter and tend more toward blue or purple when treated with stain.

Additional Images

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  Soda pulped sisal fibers

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  Soda pulped sisal fibers

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  Soda pulped esparto

Resources and Citations

• Christopher Biermann. Essentials of Pulping and Papermaking. Academic Press, 1993.
• J. H. Graff "Color Atlas for Fiber Identification" The Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, WI, 1940.
• TAPPI Official Standard T401 om-08. Fiber analysis of paper and paperboard. 2008. http://www.tappi.org/Downloads/Test-Methods/UNTITLED-0104T401pdf.aspx