Relationship between the Change in E/T Ratio and the Cooking Performance of Eucalyptus and Acacia Woods during Kraft Pulping Process

Lignin structure is an important factor affecting the cooking part of the pulping process. In this study, the effect of lignin side chain spatial configuration on cooking performance was analyzed, and the structural characteristics of eucalyptus and acacia during cooking were compared and studied by combining ozonation, GC-MS, NBO, and 2D NMR ((1)H-(13)C HSQC). In addition, the changes in the lignin content of four different raw materials during the cooking process were studied via ball milling and UV spectrum analysis. The results showed that the content of lignin in the raw material decreased continuously during the cooking process. Only in the late cooking stage, when the lignin removal reached its limit, did the lignin content tend to be stable due to the polycondensation reaction of lignin. At the same time, the E/T ratio and S/G ratio of the reaction residual lignin also followed a similar rule. At the beginning of cooking, the values of E/T and S/G decreased rapidly and then gradually rose when they reached a low point. The different initial E/T and S/G values of different raw materials lead to the disunity of cooking efficiency and the different transformation rules of different raw materials in the cooking process. Therefore, the pulping efficiency of different raw materials can be improved using different technological means.