Enzyme-assisted mechanical production of microfibrillated cellulose from Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft pulp

This paper examines the mechanism of an enzyme pre-treatment on mechanical preparation of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), the effects of hemicellulase and cellulase, on enhancing of the PFI refining efficiency of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft pulp for fiber’s devillicate, and changing of morphologies and physical characteristics on fibers, such as specific surface area were investigated, respectively. It was revealed that the enzyme pre-treatment could promote (1) an acceleration of fine productivity from the fibers, (2) intensive reduction of the size of the fibers through mechanical cutting and (or) fibrillation, and (3) energy efficiency in the reduction of fiber length without productivity impairment. However, distinct mechanical actions on the fibers pre-treated with hemicellulase and cellulase were indicated, according to the dissimilar fibrillation patterns and morphological properties found in the MFC product through intensive mechanical refining.