kraft process
Chemical method for producing
wood pulp using
caustic soda and sodium sulfide as the liquor in which the pulpwood is cooked to loosen the fibres. The process (from German
kraft, "strong") produces particularly strong and durable
paper; another advantage is its capability of digesting pine chips;
resins dissolve in the alkaline liquor and are recovered as tall oil, a valuable by-product. Recovery of sodium compounds is important in the economy of the process. In modern kraft mills, operations are completely contained; waste streams are recycled and reused, eliminating water pollution.
For more information on kraft process, visit Britannica.com.
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.