Chapter 3. Lessons Learned from 150 Years of Pulping Wood

The paper industry has a long history of harvesting, processing, and making products from wood. As we look to the future, the paper industry's processing methods and attempts to obtain value from lignin may provide guidance for the emerging lignin industry. This chapter provides a broad overview of the history and chemistry of pulping, and describes processes that have provided lignosulfonates, vanillin, and kraft lignin to the marketplace.