EUBCE 2026 - Pablo GONZÁLEZ - Use of Agricultural Waste (EFB) to Obtain Raw Materials for Recycled Paper for Packaging Manufacturing

Use of Agricultural Waste (EFB) to Obtain Raw Materials for Recycled Paper for Packaging Manufacturing

Short Introductive summary

This study investigates the use of empty fruit bunches (EFB), a residue with high cellulosic content generated in palm oil production, as a source.In this work, EFB fibres were subjected to a semi-chemical treatment with sodium hydroxide to remove lignin, followed by mechanical processing to obtain cellulose fibre pulp (CP). Subsequently, the materials underwent enzymatic treatment with cellulase and xylanase to produce nanostructured cellulose fibres (NCF) pulp. This pulp was incorporated into recycled paper pulp in different proportions: 5% and 20% for CP, and 2.5% and 5% for NCF. The laboratory handsheets prepared incorporating those materials were evaluated using standardized mechanical tests to determine the properties of the packaging paper, including tensile strength, short-distance compression (SCT), ring crush resistance (RCT), tear strength, burst strength, and air permeability (Gurley test). The fibres were also morphologically analyzed using SEM and TEM. The results confirm that adding 5% EFB cellulose (CP) maintains the mechanical properties of recycled paper, while enzymatically refined pulp induces increases in some characteristics such as tensile and tear strength.

P. González, Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón ITA, Zaragoza, SPAIN
C. Rodríguez, Universidad de Zaragoza, SPAIN
N. Gil-Lalaguna, Universidad de Zaragoza, SPAIN
C. Crespo, Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón ITA, Zaragoza, SPAIN
A. Gonzalo, Universidad de Zaragoza, SPAIN
J.L. Sánchez, Universidad de Zaragoza, SPAIN