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On the determination of crystallinity and cellulose content in plant fibres

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Abstract

A comparative study of cellulose crystallinity based on the sample crystallinity and the cellulose content in plant fibres was performed for samples of different origin. Strong acid hydrolysis was found superior to agricultural fibre analysis and comprehensive plant fibre analysis for a consistent determination of the cellulose content. Crystallinity determinations were based on X-ray powder diffraction methods using side-loaded samples in reflection (Bragg-Brentano) mode. Rietveld refinements based on the recently published crystal structure of cellulose Iβ followed by integration of the crystalline and amorphous (background) parts were performed. This was shown to be straightforward to use and in many ways advantageous to traditional crystallinity determinations using the Segal or the Ruland–Vonk methods. The determined cellulose crystallinities were 90–100 g/100 g cellulose in plant-based fibres and 60–70 g/100 g cellulose in wood based fibres. These findings are significant in relation to strong fibre composites and bio-ethanol production.

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Abbreviations

HPLC:

High pressure liquid chromatography

DM:

Dry matter

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Acknowledgements

This work was part of the project ‘High performance hemp fibres and improved fibre networks for composites’ supported by the Danish Research Agency of the Ministry of Science and of the project EFP Bioethanol part 2 J. nr. 1383/03–0002. Dr. Claus Felby is acknowledged as supervisor for Ph. D. student Anders Thygesen. Mr. Tomas Fernqvist and Mrs. Ingelis Larsen are acknowledged for technical assistance and Dr. Bo Madsen, Dr. Enikö Varga and Dr. Mette Hedegaard Thomsen are acknowledged for discussion and inspiration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Research Department, Risø National Laboratory, P.O. Box 49, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Anders Thygesen & Hans Lilholt

  2. Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Højbakkegård Allé 1, DK-2630, Tåstrup, Denmark

    Anders Thygesen

  3. Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Building 207, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark

    Jette Oddershede & Kenny Ståhl

  4. Biosystems Department, Risø National Laboratory, P.O. Box 49, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Anne Belinda Thomsen

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  1. Anders Thygesen
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  2. Jette Oddershede
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  3. Hans Lilholt
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  4. Anne Belinda Thomsen
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  5. Kenny Ståhl
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Correspondence to Anders Thygesen.

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Thygesen, A., Oddershede, J., Lilholt, H. et al. On the determination of crystallinity and cellulose content in plant fibres. Cellulose 12, 563–576 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-005-9001-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-005-9001-8

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