Abstract

• The bamboo and corn stalk and samples were collected in Min Hla Township (Lower Myanmar), Bago Region, prepared, and chipped. The physicochemical properties such as pH, solubility, moisture, lignin, holocellulose, cellulose, silica, and ash of raw bamboo (RB) and raw corn stalk (RC) were determined. Pulp was prepared from corn stalk chips by using Kraft pulping process chemical ratio of 16% of NaOH and 18% of Na2S, chips to liquor ratio (1:4), and cooking time (90 min). Pulp was prepared from bamboo chips by the Kraft pulping process using a chemical ratio of 18% NaOH and 20% Na2S, chips-to-liquor ratio (1:4), and cooking time (120 min). Chemical properties of pulps such as moisture, lignin, residual alkali, pulp consistency, °SR (schopper degree), fiber length, pulp yield, and Kappa number were determined by the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) test methods. The pulps were bleached with NaOCl. Composite papers were prepared using 50% bamboo and 50% corn stalk (BC-1) and 30% bamboo and 70% corn stalk (BC-2). Mechanical properties such as thickness, breaking length, tensile strength, folding, tear index, moisture, water absorption, and basis weight of corn stalk, bamboo, and BC-1, BC-2 were determined by the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) test methods. The corn stalk, bamboo, and BC-1, BC-2 were characterized by an optical microscope.