page_title: Paper chemicals
section_title: Pulping
hierarchical_section_title: Paper chemicals / Pulping
caption_attribution_description: Local call number: c002311 Title: [A worker overseeing a papermaking machine at a paper mill near Pensacola] Date: 1947. Physical descrip: 1 photoprint&#160;: b&amp;w&#160;; 4 x 5 in. Series Title: (Commerce Collection.) Repository: State Library and Archives of Florida, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250 USA. Contact: 850-245-6700. Archives@dos.state.fl.us Persistent URL: [1]
context_page_description: Paper chemicals designate a group of chemicals that are used for paper manufacturing, or modify the properties of paper. These chemicals can be used to alter the paper in many ways, including changing its color and brightness, or by increasing its strength and resistance to water.
context_section_description: Chemical pulping involves dissolving lignin in order to extract the cellulose from the wood fiber. The different processes of chemical pulping include the Kraft process, which uses caustic soda and sodium sulfide and is the most common; alternatively, the use of sulfurous acid is known as the sulfite process, the neutral sulfite semichemical is treated as a third process separate from sulfite, and soda pulping which is the least ecologically hazardous utilizing sodium hydroxide or anthraquinone.
  Caustic soda is added to increase the pH in the pulping process of fibers. The higher pH of the paper-fiber solution causes the fibers to smoothen and swell, which is important for the grinding process of the fibers.
caption: Processing pulp in a Hollander beater
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