Structure and spacing of cellulose microfibrils in woody cell walls of dicots

Thomas, L. H., Forsyth, V. T., Martel, A., Grillo, I., Altaner, C. M. and Jarvis, M. C. (2014) Structure and spacing of cellulose microfibrils in woody cell walls of dicots. Cellulose, 21(6), pp. 3887-3895. (doi: 10.1007/s10570-014-0431-z)

Abstract

The structure of cellulose microfibrils in situ in wood from the dicotyledonous (hardwood) species cherry and birch, and the vascular tissue from sunflower stems, was examined by wide-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (WAXS and WANS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Deuteration of accessible cellulose chains followed by WANS showed that these chains were packed at similar spacings to crystalline cellulose, consistent with their inclusion in the microfibril dimensions and with a location at the surface of the microfibrils. Using the Scherrer equation and correcting for considerable lateral disorder, the microfibril dimensions of cherry, birch and sunflower microfibrils perpendicular to the [200] crystal plane were estimated as 3.0, 3.4 and 3.3 nm respectively. The lateral dimensions in other directions were more difficult to correct for disorder but appeared to be 3 nm or less. However for cherry and sunflower, the microfibril spacing estimated by SANS was about 4 nm and was insensitive to the presence of moisture. If the microfibril width was 3 nm as estimated by WAXS, the SANS spacing suggests that a non-cellulosic polymer segment might in places separate the aggregated cellulose microfibrils.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Jarvis, Dr Michael
• Authors: Thomas, L. H., Forsyth, V. T., Martel, A., Grillo, I., Altaner, C. M., and Jarvis, M. C.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: Cellulose
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• ISSN: 0969-0239
• ISSN (Online): 1572-882X
• Published Online: 08 October 2014
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media
• First Published: First published in Cellulose 21(6): 3887-3895
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy