Chemical Composition and Fiber Properties of Crambe orientalis and C. tataria

In this study, chemical composition and morphological properties of Crambe orientalis var. orientalis and C. tataria var. tataria stalks growing in Turkey were investigated. Typical chemical properties determined were the amount of holocellulose, alpha cellulose, cellulose, lignin, ash and silica. The results showed that lignin contents of C. orientalis and C. tataria were 24.5% and 20.6%, respectively. Cellulose ratio was found to be 40.1% in C. orientalis and 40.3% in C. tataria. The highest solubility with 1% NaOH was 34.9% and 33.7% for C. orientalis and C. tataria, respectively. Also the suitability of the fiber for pulp and paper manufacturing was examined and fiber length, fiber diameter, lumen diameter and cell wall thickness were measured using vizopan microscopic technique. The obtained data was utilized to calculate the felting rate, flexibility coefficient, Rigidity coefficient, Runkel index and F ratio. The effects of these properties on paper strength were evaluated. In addition, different chemical pulping procedures were applied to Crambe species to determine its pulping potential and the produced pulps optical and strength properties were studied. Moreover different chemical pulping procedures were applied to Crambe species to evaluate its pulping potential. The optical and strength properties of the paper obtained were determined. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers