Microfibrillated cellulose prepared by electron beam irradiated pre-treatment – a comparison of various influencing factors with regard to material and process

An innovative approach for the production of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) using a combination of high-pressure homogenization and electron beam irradiation (EBI) pre-treatment is proposed. In contrast to conventional pre-treatments for the production of MFC, electron beam treatment is a completely chemical-free method. This study focuses particularly on the extent to which the conditions of the electron beam irradiation, in terms of dose, dose rate, and atmosphere, influence the properties of the pulps and the resulting MFC. The effects on the both pulp types kraft pulp (KP) and sulfite pulp (SP) were compared. An irradiation dose of 100 kGy already leads to a significant decrease in the intrinsic viscosity of both types of pulp, while the crystallinity of the samples remains largely unaffected. It was demonstrated that EBI with a suitable irradiation dose, which varies greatly in dependence on the pulp type, is a promising approach for fast, effective, and chemical-free pre-treatment.