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Frances L. Walsh, Sujit Banerjee
Characterization of thin water layers in pulp by tritium exchange. Part 1: Methods development
Keywords: bound water, fiber, free water, hardwood, Hydrogen bond, Isotope exchange, softwood, surface area, Tritium
A new technique for measuring the monolayer water content of fiber is presented. Tritiated water is added to a pulp/water suspension, whereupon the tritium partitions between the bulk water and the pulp. In the pulp phase the tritium can exchange with free water, bound water, and with hydroxyl and other protons present in the pulp matrix. The free water in the pulp is then removed by displacement with acetone. The tritium remaining in the pulp is mostly associated with tightly bound water, with a small fraction being tied up with the exchangeable hydrogen in pulp. The procedure provides a value of 10% for the tightly bound water content of hardwood or softwood fiber, either bleached or unbleached. If this water is assumed to cover the fiber surface as a monolayer, then an estimate of the wet surface area of the fiber can be obtained. This estimate compares well with independent measurements of surface area.
Holzforschung, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 0018-3830
Volume: 61, 03/2007
Pages: 115 - 119