Potential of Pulp Production from Whole-tree Wood of Betula platyphylla Roth. Based on Wood Characteristics

To ascertain the possibility of using branchwood, trunkwood, and rootwood of Betula platyphylla Roth. in papermaking, this study investigated tissue proportion, fiber features, and major chemical components in whole-tree wood of the tree species. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the rootwood had a significantly lower density and vessel proportion, higher ray proportion, wider lumen, and thicker wall of fiber than the trunkwood and branchwood (p <0.05). The branchwood had a significantly shorter fiber and smaller length/width than the trunkwood and rootwood (p <0.05). The trunkwood had significantly longer and narrower fibers with thinner wall and higher cellulose, but lower hemicelluloses than the branchwood and rootwood (p <0.05). The study concluded that the trunkwood of B. platyphylla was suitable for producing good paper, while the branchwood and rootwood met the basic requirements of papermaking and could be used to produce low-grade paper.