Characterization of the supermolecular structure of cellulose in wood pulp fibres

The hierarchic organization of cellulose fibrils (microfibrils) was investigated in holocellulose, sulphite pulp and kraft pulp using TEM, XRD, ED and FTIR. There were remarkable differences in both the fibril structure and fibril aggregation between the samples. TEM observations revealed more intimately associated fibrils in the kraft pulp compared to the sulphite pulp and the holocellulose, results in agreement with previous CP/MAS 13C-NMR data [Hult E.-L. et al. (2002) Holzforschung 56: 231–234]. Furthermore, the cellulose crystallinity was higher in the kraft pulp sample. With respect to the cellulose Iα and Iβ allomorphs, these samples were controversial when different analytical techniques were applied. Due to the small fibril size and the low degree of order of cellulose in these samples, the concept of crystalline triclinic and monoclinic components as determined by diffraction analysis may not be adequate. Instead the fibril can be regarded to have different degrees of lateral order (including paracrystalline ordering) that can be reoriented to Iβ type conformation and packing upon pulping.