(315g) A Fresh LOOK At the Potential of Indian Lantana Plants for Its Profitable Utilization

Amiya.K. Ray,Vivek Kumar,Manish Kumar Puri and  Vikas Kumar  Agarwal

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee,

Saharanpur Campus,India

 ABSTRACT

One of the most stringent problems in Indian paper mill is the acute scarcity of virgin fibres from pulpable raw materials along with other constraints.Therefore there are  alround efforts to combat this problem by intensive search for exploring new renewable raw materials of right quality available indigenously to make pulp. Lantana, a shrub, perennial in nature, is available in large quantity in almost every part of this country. However, there are varieties of this species of Verbenaceae/ Vervain family identified in India such as Lantana cacamara,Lantana aculeta,Camara vulgaris, Lantana  scabrida , Lantana scandes etc. Earlier some experimental and kinetic studies are made  with the variety –Lantana Camara. However,more extensive studies are required to evaluate its potential without going in to the  identification of species. A large number of lantana plant from three different locations,from Western UP and Uttarakhand  in India are collected and randomly blended. The blended  raw materials are found to possesss an average value of hollocellulose, 74.3%, extractives,9.6%, lignin, 18.3% , Pentosans ,16.8 % and silica,2.45%  which indicated that it can be a good substitute for bamboo or hardwood for paper making. Furher, the leaves of this plant can be good medicinal source. Extensive experimental trials for pulping are carried out in the laboratory based on statistical full factorial design followed by kinetic  studies. Statistical multivariable regression equations in terms of screened yield, kappa number, and lignin are developed for design of the process and  for further simulation. As H factor is the most important control parameter in pulping process which in turn depends on both time and temperature schedule , the detailed kinetic studies with these lantana of arbitrary species are carried out at the same conditions of the earlier experiments on Lantana camera. The specific reaction rate, activation energy, reaction order, H factor and Tau factor are evaluated and Kinetic rate equations are established. The proposed models are then compared with the previously  predicted models. Multivariable regression equations also are developed to interrelate the process and design parameters and the results were compared.