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Study of Structural Morphology of Hemp Fiber from the Micro to the Nanoscale

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Abstract

The focus of this work has been to study how high pressure defibrillation and chemical purification affect the hemp fiber morphology from micro to nanoscale. Microscopy techniques, chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction were used to study the structure and properties of the prepared micro and nanofibers. Microscopy studies showed that the used individualization processes lead to a unique morphology of interconnected web-like structure of hemp fibers. The nanofibers are bundles of cellulose fibers of widths ranging between 30 and 100 nm and estimated lengths of several micrometers. The chemical analysis showed that selective chemical treatments increased the α-cellulose content of hemp nanofibers from 75 to 94%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study showed that the pectins were partially removed during the individualization treatments. X-ray analysis showed that the relative crystallinity of the studied fibers increased after each stage of chemical and mechanical treatments. It was also observed that the hemp nanofibers had an increased crystallinity of 71 from 57% of untreated hemp fibers.

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Acknowledgment

We gratefully acknowledge financial support of this study given by NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Biocomposites and Biomaterials Processing, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto Earth and Science Centre, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B3, Canada

    Bei Wang, Mohini Sain & Kristiina Oksman

  2. Manufacturing and Design of Wood and Bionanocomposites, Luleå University of Technology, SE-93187, Skellefteå, Sweden

    Kristiina Oksman

Authors
  1. Bei Wang
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  2. Mohini Sain
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  3. Kristiina Oksman
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Correspondence to Mohini Sain.

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Wang, B., Sain, M. & Oksman, K. Study of Structural Morphology of Hemp Fiber from the Micro to the Nanoscale. Appl Compos Mater 14, 89–103 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-006-9032-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-006-9032-9

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