The Abaca Fiber & The Pulp

When converted to pulp, the fibers finds extensive use in specialty paper making, where the principally desired characteristics are high strength and porosity and resistant to being destroyed by salt water.

A scanning electron micrograph of a web of alphacellulose abaca fibers shows the relative smooth, straight nature of fibers. The pulp cellulose fiber has a mean length of 4 mm to 6 mm and mean diameter of 17 to 21 microns. It has a narrow pointed end. By comparison, typical wood pulp has a fiber length of from 2 mm to 3 mm and a diameter of about 40 microns. The high ratio of fiber length and fiber width partially explains the remarkable properties of abaca pulp.