Microfibril angle of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] compression wood: Comparison of measuring techniques

Abstract

The structure of cellulose, especially the microfibril angles (MFAs), in compression wood of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] was studied by wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering and polarizing microscopy. On the basis of the X-ray scattering experiments the average MFAs of the cell wall layers S 2 and S1 of the studied sample are 39° and 89°, respectively; and the average diameter and length of the cellulose crystallites are 2.9 and 20.0 nm, respectively. The average of the whole MFA distribution is shown to agree with the one obtained by polarizing microscopy of macerated fibers.