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Investigation of the internal structure of flax fibre cell walls by transmission electron microscopy

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Abstract

The development of the use of flax fibre as reinforcement of eco-friendly composite materials requires a good knowledge of its hydrothermal and mechanical behaviours. To this end the fibre internal structure must be finely investigated. Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyse the morphology of the fibre cell walls in terms of the arrangement of the layers and their thickness. Thus, an alternative eco-friendly staining method, based on oolong tea extract was successfully implemented. The results reveal an arrangement at the nanoscale slightly different from the classical four layer model encountered in the literature: the inner layer includes three to four sub-layers. The cell walls comprises two outer layers of relative thickness of about 10 %, a middle layer of about 70 % and a group of thinner layers (called sub-layers) that are contiguous to the lumen with relative thickness of about 20 %.

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Acknowledgments

They are grateful to the French National Research Center (CNRS) and the Region of Lower Normandy for their financial support. Authors also want to thank Dr. B. Duchemin for his helpful advices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CRISMAT, 6 Boulevard du Maréchal Juin, 14050, Caen, France

    Anthony Thuault, Isabel Hervas & Moussa Gomina

  2. LAMIPS, Joint Laboratory Presto Engineering, CRISMAT, 2 rue de la Girafe, BP 5120, 14079, Caen Cedex, France

    Bernadette Domengès

  3. LMCPA, boulevard Général de Gaulle, 59600, Maubeuge, France

    Anthony Thuault

  4. MSMP, Arts et Métiers ParisTech, Centre de Lille, 8, Boulevard Louis XIV, 59000, Lille Cedex, France

    Isabel Hervas

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  1. Anthony Thuault
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Correspondence to Anthony Thuault.

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Thuault, A., Domengès, B., Hervas, I. et al. Investigation of the internal structure of flax fibre cell walls by transmission electron microscopy. Cellulose 22, 3521–3530 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-015-0744-6

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