Journal of Synchrotron Radiation

Volume 12, Part 6 (November 2005)

nanobioscience

J. Synchrotron Rad. (2005). 12, 739-744 [ doi:10.1107/S0909049505011714 ]

Mechanical properties of cellulose fibres and wood. Orientational aspects in situ investigated with synchrotron radiation

K. Kölln, I. Grotkopp, M. Burghammer, S. V. Roth, S. S. Funari, M. Dommach and M. Müller

Abstract: Highly oriented native cellulose fibres (flax) and softwood (pine) have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction. Local structural information was obtained by using X-ray microbeams. Tensile tests were performed in situ, revealing a change of orientation of cellulose microfibrils in materials with tensile strain. In flax fibres, the microfibrils rotate during the first percent of stretching, into a more parallel orientation with respect to the fibre axis. For wood, a decrease of orientation with the onset of strain hardening is found for the first time.

Keywords: X-ray diffraction; cellulose fibres; flax; wood; mechanical properties; tensile strain; strain hardening; orientation distribution.