A method to optimise birch CTMP pre-treatments by direct measurement of brightness on birch wood

It is challenging and quite difficult to optimise the pre-treatment of birch CTMP with respect to brightness in large-scale trials. Because of the complexity of the system, it is necessary to go beyond a two-dimensional experimental approach (where not more than two variables are varied at the same time) to find optimal conditions. This paper presents a straightforward laboratory technique that may be used to study the effects on the brightness of wood by various pre-treatments. Combining this methodology with multivariate data analysis provides a powerful tool for optimising birch CTMP pre-treatment with respect to brightness. Recommendations within the experimental domain are given.