J. Chem. Soc. Nigeria, Vol.34, No. 1, pp169-172 (2009) LOCAL SOURCING OF NON-WOOD PULP PLANT FOR PAPER-MAKING H.O. Chibudike and J.S. Udohitinah Chemical and Fiber Technology Division, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (F.1.1.R.0.), Lagos, Nigeria (Received: 2 nd September, 2008; accepted: 25 th February, 2009) Abstract The anatomic properties of some non-wood plants and their suitability in the production of high quality pulp dud paper materials were investigated. Sample preparation of each non-wood plant species were conducted in accordance with Standard methods. The moisture content, lignin, extractives, alpha cellulose, and ash content, fiber dimensions, and determination of Cross and Bevan Cellulose were investigated. Pulping operation was subsequently carried out which resulted in the production of pulp and paper samples. Yields were exceptionally high, with good strength. properties. The results observed for burst factor and tear index revealed that palm leaf, elephant grass, jute cardis stem and corn stalk, can furnish pulp and paper materials with remarkable strength properties. Tensile and burst strength increased with degree of fibrillation and with the time of beating, up to a certain point, and then decreased, sharply at first and then very gradually until it became constant. The result obtained from research investigation conducted affirms that some non-wood plants offer considerable potential in the production of good quality pulp and paper materials. Keywords: Cellulose-flbre, Non-wood plant, Kraft, ligno-cellulose. Introduction In modern society, paper is a basic material. The development of well-developed machineries to produce it has been largely responsible for increasing literacy and raising educational levels throughout the world. Paper source are primarily from wood, which is composed of cellulose fibre that exist as small tubes oriented along the length of trees. In plant fibres, woody cells formed at the active area of growth between the bark of the wood, constitute the cambial layer. These fibres help in water transportation. These fibres are the most important part of the tree used in paper making.[1] The chemical constituents of wood are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, ash (largely silica). Wood is composed of cellulose; other carbohydrates present are starch, sugar and lignin, which act as an adhesive for cellulose [2] The wood pulp position needs to be considered against the background of cellulose pulp production as a whole, and to do this necessarily involves investigation of the non- woody sources of cellulose. These additional sources of cellulose are rapidly increasing in importance and indeed they constitute a vast proportion of the world pulp production [3]. Pulp and paper can be made from many different plants, and the processes involved are dependent on the behaviour of the wood fiber. But, whether or not, a plant is well suited for this purpose depends largely on the shape of its cells. Cells are hollow structural units that compose plants, each cell consisting typical of a cell wall enclosing a cavity. In early stages of growth, the cell cavities contain protoplasm, but soon after the cell wall is fully formed, this disappears from the cells that are of value for paper making, leaving only he hollow tubular 169