Patent ID: 8940133
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: D21C,D21H

Abstract:
1. A process of pulping lignocellulosic materials comprising: (a) contacting a charge of a lignocellulosic material with a fungus which breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes in lignocellulosic materials; (b) contacting said lignocellulosic materials product of said step (a) with water at a temperature in the range of between about 140° C. and about 180° C. and the water having a pH in the range of between about 3 and about 6.9 for a period in the range of between about 1 minute and about 4 hours, wherein an aqueous extract and extracted lignocellulosic materials are obtained and wherein a percentage of solids extracted from the lignocellulosic material occurs at about half of the time as the same percentage of solids extracted from a lignocellulosic material that did not contact a fungus that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes; (c) pulping said extracted lignocellulosic materials wherein individual fibers and fiber bundles are produced; and (d) bleaching said product of said step (c).