One way to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change is to reduce the use of wood as the main material for pulp and paper production. Therefore, non-woody plants such as bamboo can be alternatives as raw materials for pulp and paper. This study aims to determine the effect of the different bamboo species and age on the bamboo pulping yield and bamboo mechanical paper properties. Bambusa vulgaris, Gigantochloa levis, and Gigantochloa scortechinii bamboo species or locally known as Aur, Beting, and Semantan bamboo at the age of 1, 3, and 5-year old, were pulped using Soda-Anthraquinone (AQ) pulping. No beating process was conducted to all the papermaking processes to evaluate the basic mechanical properties of the bamboo paper. Pulping yield ranged from 35.7 to 51.7% at different bamboo species and age, with the pulping conditions at 20% of NaOH, 170ºC pulping temperature, 90 min time to reach pulping temperature and 90 min time at pulping temperature, 1:6 of bamboo to liquor ratio and 0.1% of AQ based on bamboo oven-dried weight. The paper was made according to TAPPI Standard T205 sp- 95. The paper mechanical properties for burst index, tear index, tensile index, and folding endurance ranged from 1.32 to 2.36 kPa.m²/g, 7.48 to 14.9 Nm²/g, 16.02 to 29.68 Nm/g, and 2 to 28 double folds, respectively, at different bamboo species and age. It was found that Beting bamboo has the potential to be a viable raw material for pulp and paper products as it shows the highest mechanical properties compared to Aur and Semantan.

• Alagbe, E. E., Bassey, E. S., Daniel, O. E., Shongwe, M. B., Ojewumi, M. E., & Igwe, C. C. (2019). Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of corn sheath as pulp and paper raw material. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1378, No. 3, p. 032083). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1378/3/032083

• Ashuvila, M. A. (2014). Potential of non-wood fibres for pulp and paper-based industries (Doctoral dissertation). Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia.

• Biermann, C. J. (1996). Introduction and the Literature. In Handbook of Pulping and Papermaking (pp. 1-12). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012097362-0/50005-4

• Caulfield, D., & Gunderson, D. (1988, October 19-21). Paper testing and strength characteristics. In 1988 Paper Preservation Symposium (pp. 31-40). Capital Hilton, Washington.

• Fatehi, P., Ates, S., & Ni, Y. (2010). Chemical pulping. Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 24(2), 193-198. https://doi.org/10.3183/npprj-2009-24-02-p193-198

• Garside, M. (2020). Paper and cardboard - Exports to selected countries worldwide 2018. Statista. Retrieved June 3, 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/240187/import-and-export-of-paper-and-cardboard-in-selected-countries-2010/

• Hisham, H. N., Othman, S., Rokiah, H., Latif, M. A., Ani, S., & Tamizi, M. M. (2006). Characterization of bamboo gigantochloa scortechinii at different ages. Journal of Tropical Forest Science, 18(4), 236-242.

• Horn, R. A. (1978). Morphology of Pulp Fiber from Hardwoods and Influence on Paper Strength. Forest Products Lab Madison WIS.

• Johnsen, B. (2017). The pulp and paper industry. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 27(5), 514-518. https://doi.org/10.1021/ie50305a006

• Kallmes, O. J., & Perez, M. (1966). A new theory for the load/elongation properties of paper. In Transaction of the 3rd Fundamental Research Symposium - Consolidation of the Paper Web (pp. 779-800). Technical Section of British Paper Board Markers’ Association.

• Karlsson, H. (2010). Strength properties of paper produced from softwood kraft pulp: Pulp mixture, reinforcement and sheet stratification (Doctoral dissertation). Karlstads Universitet, Sweden.

• Li, P. Y., Zhang, M. Y., Xia, X. X., & Lin, C. T. (2012). Research on kraft pulping delignification of bamboo (Neosinocalamus). In Advanced Materials Research (Vol. 418, pp. 2241-2244). Trans Tech Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.418-420.2241

• Liu, H., Yang, S, & Dong, R. (2006, October 8-10). The effect of fiber length and coarseness on the tearing strength. In 5th International Non-Wood Fiber Pulping and Paper Making Conference (pp. 51-65). Guangzhou, China.

• Muchorski, D. (2006). Tensile properties of paper and paperboard using constant rate of elongation apparatus revision T 494 Om-01. Standard-Specific Interest Group Approved Test Method.

• Nur Musfirah, S., Nurul Husna, M. H., Rushdan, I., & Latifah, J. (2021). Fiber morphology of different bamboo species and age. Materials Science Forum, 1025, 312–318. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.1025.312

• Nurul Husna, M. H., Suhaimi, M., & Rushdan, I. (2013). Effect of soda-anthraquinone pulping conditions and beating revolution on the mechanical properties of paper made from Gigantochloa scortechinii (Semantan bamboo). Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, 17(1), 75–84.

• Page, D. H. (1969). The theory for tensile strenge of paper. Tappi, 52(4), 674-681.

• Polyium, U., Boonyaratakalin, T., & Wichiranon, S. (2019). Characterization of physical and mechanical properties of bleaching paper from rice straw. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 891, 3-8. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.891.3

• Rodríguez, A., Serrano, L., Moral, A., Pérez, A., & Jiménez, L. (2008). Use of high-boiling point organic solvents for pulping oil palm empty fruit bunches. Bioresource Technology, 99(6), 1743-1749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2007.03.050

• Seth, R. S. (1990). Fibre quality factors in papermaking - I The importance of fibre length and strength. In D. Caulfield, J. D. Passaretti, R. Roy & V. Setterholm (Eds.), Symposium U - Materials Interactions Relevant to the Pulp, Paper and Wood Industries (Vol. 197, pp 125-142). Cambridge University Press.

• Seth, R. S. (1995). The effect of fiber length and coarseness on the tensile strength of wet webs: A statistical geometry explanation. TAPPI Journal, 78(3), 99-102.

• Sharma, A. K., Anupam, K., Swaroop, V., Lal, P. S., & Bist, V. (2015). Pilot scale soda-anthraquinone pulping of palm oil empty fruit bunches and elemental chlorine free bleaching of resulting pulp. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 422-429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.03.095

• Sundblad, S. (2007). Some aspects on strength properties in paper composed of different pulps (Doctoral dissertation). Karlstad University, Sweden.

• Sundblad, S. (2015). Predictions of pulp and paper properties based on fiber morphology. Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet.

• TAPPI. (1995). Forming handsheets for physical tests of pulp (Reaffirmation of T 205 sp-02). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• TAPPI. (1996). Folding endurance of paper (Test method T511 om-96). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• TAPPI. (1997). Bursting strength of paper (Test method T 403 om-97). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• TAPPI. (1998). Internal tearing resistance of paper (Elmendorf-type method) (Test method T 414 om-98). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• TAPPI. (2001). Tensile properties of towel and tissue products (using constant rate of elongation apparatus) (Test method T494 om-01). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• Tewari, P. K., Batra, V. S., & Balakrishnan, M. (2009). Efficient water use in industries: Cases from the Indian agro-based pulp and paper mills. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(1), 265-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.09.001

• Tripathi, S. K., Mishra, O. P., Bhardwaj, N. K., & Varadhan, R. (2018). Pulp and papermaking properties of bamboo species melocanna baccifera. Cellulose Chemistry and Technology, 52(1-2), 81-88.

• Van den Akker, J. A., Lathrop, A. L., Voelker, M. H., & Dearth, L. H. (1958). Importance of fiber strength to sheet strength. Tappi, 41(8), 416-425.

• Walkinshaw, J. (2006). Folding endurance of paper ( MIT tester ) ( Revision of T 511 om-08 ). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• Walkinshaw, J. (2007). Screening of pulp (Somerville-type equipment) (Reaffirmation of T 275 sp-02). Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Institute.

• Williams, J. C., & Krasow, M. R. (1973). Folding endurance and tensile strength of paper. International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 14(1), 25-41. https://doi.org/doi:10.2307/3179272

• Win, K. R., Ariyoshi, M., Seki, M., & Okayama, T. (2012). Effect of pulping conditions on the properties of bamboo paper. Journal of Fiber Science and Technology, 68(11), 290-295. https://doi.org/10.2115/fiber.68.290