| Abstract Scope |
Lignocellulosic materials, such as wood and bamboo, are poised to play a major role in meeting our needs for sustainable materials. These materials can also inspire new biomimetic materials, such as shape memory twist micro actuators. However, for lignocellulosic materials to reach their full potential their material properties must be better understood across their multiscale structures, especially at the smaller length scales like individual cell wall layers. Secondary cell wall layers generally consist of nanoscale cellulose fibrils embedded in a matrix of lignin and hemicelluloses. We have recently employed materials science approaches and a wide array of advanced experimental characterization techniques, including X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray computed tomography, small angle neutron scattering, and nanoindentation experiments, to study wood cell wall properties. The materials science approach includes identifying and studying structure-property-processing-performance relationships. Recent progress understanding mechanical, mass transport, and moisture-induced swelling properties of wood cell walls will be presented. |