The objective of this work was to evaluate the generation of fines by different bleaching reagents and its effect on physical and mechanical properties of eucalyptus kraft pulp. The pulp was bleached by four different sequences. Some of these samples was classified in Bauer-McNett equipment. The unclassified part of the pulp (global) was refined to 40ºSR in a laboratory PFI mill. The two major classified portions of each sample were also refined at the same revolutions as its global sample. Physical and mechanical tests were performed for both classified and unclassified samples, and their fibers were analyzed in FQA (Fiber Quality Analyzer), before and after refining.The greater amount of fines was observed for the refined pulp and the reference sequence. The tensile results were more significant for the global sample, classified pulps showed no difference between them being given the highest tensile strength to the presence of fines. The tear resistance was affected by the length of the fibers and not by the content of fines. The highest values of capillarity for the Klemm samples were classified due to the absence of fines and fibers of greater length.
Fiber classification; Physical and mechanical properties; Refining
