Alkaline pulping of mixed reed and bagasse

Chopped reed stalks and depithed bagasse were pulped in alkaline media separately and in admixtures. Almost all paper‐making characteristics of pulps were improved under milder cooking conditions, with 14% alkali and 120°C being optimum. When part of the NaOH was substituted by Na2S, at 21% sulphidity, little or no effect was observed at the optimum conditions. When reed and bagasse were pulped in admixtures of equal proportions, mixed pulps showed the good inherent properties of both reed and bagasse fibres with improved tensile, burst and tear strength. The mixed soda reed‐bagasse pulps were produced on a mill scale and showed the same trend of properties.