Paper Making from Sisal Plants

INTRODUCTION TO SISAL PLANT

Fibre extracted from the leaves of the Agave sisalana plant and its hybrids can be used to produce high quality papermaking pulp. Sisal pulp has certain characteristics such as high tear resistance, high alpha cellulose content, high porosity, high bulk, high absorbency and high folding endurance which make sisal pulp suitable for many specialty papers.

Also, because sisal pulp has physical properties superior to softwood kraft pulp, there may be opportunities to cost effectively replace softwood kraft with sisal pulp in commodity papers. For example, sisal pulp may be used as a reinforcing fibre in high recycle content papers, or its use may permit basis weight reductions while maintaining product quality.

PREPARATION OF SISAL PULP AT HOME

• Gather atleast 10 or more sisal leaves
• Remove the thrones in the sisal
• Cut it into small pieces
• Put the leaves on the vessel
• Boil it for 1 hour
• After boiling, strain it to remove excess water
• Then wash it with water
• Add again some water and about ½ cup of sodium hydroxide
• The amount of sodium hydroxide is depend on the amount of your leaves
• Boil it for 5-10 minutes, After 5 minutes, strain the leaves to remove the chemical
• Wash it with water for 2-3 times until the water becomes clear.
• Put it into the blender then add water
• Blend it for 5 minutes
• After blending strain it again with cloth to get the pulp.

PREPARATION OF SISAL PAPER AT HOME

• Put the pulp on the blender and add some water again
• Blend it for 5 minutes
• While blending prepare 5 table spoon of Cornstarch with a little amount of water
• Next, put them together then mix it
• Put it on a silk screen
• Also put the cloth on the screen and press the cloth to remove excess water
• After that let it dry under sunlight
• Finally, after drying we got paper made from sisal leaves.

CONCLUSION

As sisal biomass contains a high proportion of cellulose its pulp is a substitute for wood fibres and adds bulk to paper and cardboard as well as being absorbent and having high fold endurance characteristics making it a high quality input for paper products. Given its porosity, it can be used in cigarette paper filters and things like tea bags.

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