Patent ID: 7306698
Filing Date: 2007-12-11
Classification: D21C

Abstract:
1. A method for pulping a fibrous lignocellulose material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) reducing the material to a size appropriate for pulping; (b) cooking the reduced material with oxalic acid at an amount between 0.05% and about 6% of the dry weight of the reduced material, wherein the material is cooked at a temperature between greater than 100° C. and about 140° C. for a time between greater than 10 minutes and about 180 minutes, these conditions being sufficient for cooking the reduced material in such a manner so as to enable step (c); (c) mechanically defiberizing the cooked material; and (d) mechanically refining the defiberized material to produce a pulp that exhibits improved paper strength and energy savings relative to uncooked pulp, wherein the material is wood or a recovered paper capable of being processed into pulp for making paper products.