Most paper starts out life as a tree. A tree’s core strength derives from a microscopically small fiber called cellulose, which is bound together by an organic glue called lignin. This is an extremely hard and resilient composite structure that can last hundreds of years. Extracting the fibers of cellulose from the lignin is not easy. It is like trying to remove chewing gum from hair. Delignification of wood, as the process is called, involves crunching up the wood into tiny pieces and boiling them at high temperatures and pressures with a chemical cocktail that breaks down the bonds within
...more
