Dissolving Pulp from Sansevieria Trifasciata Fiber Processed with Water-Pre-Hydrolysis, Soda-Anthraquinone Cooking and Clorine Free Bleaching

For a long time, rayon has been produced using dissolving pulp (DP). DP is typically made from wood or cotton, but it takes a long time to collect wood, and high-quality cotton must be imported from afar. Sansevieria trifasciata (ST) fiber, which contains more than 50% cellulose, offers potential as a raw material and a substitute for cotton and wood. It is simple to develop and grow. It can endure a wide range of light and temperature conditions. By using the water-pre-hydrolysis, soda-Anthraquinone cooking (soda-AQ), and elementary-chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching sequences, this work aims to convert ST into DP. Results, The DP was produced with a yield of 43.69%, a kappa value of 4.73, a viscosity of 9.3 cP, an alpha-cellulose content of 97.7% and a brightness of 90.7%, which was higher than the ISO brightness of 88%. The DP quality corresponds to the minimum DP level for rayon according to the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). It is very promising for further development, such as being used for viscose fiber production.