A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources, and Development

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2001

The research reviewed in this thesis examines the characteristic of Acacia mangium from different age and from various parts of tree. Method of characterization was comparing the actual tree age with same annual growth separated of the oldest tree. Various age was taken for 4, 5, 6, and 7 years. Separated annual growth was taken from two samples of 7.6 years old trees. The younger tree (4 years) gave higher yield with low kappa number for equal cooking condition. The weakness of the younger tree was poor yield stability, as yield drops for ce1tain kappa reduction in cooking. All acacia pulps seem to have similar possibility to achieve certain brightness level. Brightness difference was more depended on inlet kappa to bleaching. The fiber length was found to increase with age and from pith to bark direction. Fiber length was lower for higher level from ground. Fines content was mainly more for younger tree and the higher level from ground, but wood degradation increased the fines content of 7 years tree. Generally 5 years tree gave better characteristic in respect of cooking and paper quality.