Abstract

Axial compressive stresses can cause distortion of the cellulose fibril alignment in the wood cell wall. These deformations are thought to occur in the living tree and/or to develop during wood processing and seem to adversely affect the mechanical properties of pulp and paper and other fibre-based products. To characterise the influence of dislocations on the mechanical properties of the unmodified cell wall, dislocations were artificially created by applying high compression loads to wood blocks parallel to the fibre axis. Mechanically isolated fibres containing different levels of dislocations were then subjected to tensile tests. Comparison between micromechanical properties of reference fibres and fibres that were artificially loaded in compression revealed the importance of dislocations for the mechanics of both earlywood and latewood. However, the tensile strength (decrease similar to 19% for earlywood and similar to 26% for latewood) was less affected than expected from structural observations of the pre-compressed zones.

Keywords

cell wall; dislocations; mechanical properties; microscopy

Published in

Holzforschung
2008, Volume: 62, number: 1, pages: 77-81
Publisher: WALTER DE GRUYTER & CO

SLU Authors

• Terziev, Nasko

  • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Daniel, Geoffrey

  • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/HF.2008.011

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/16345