Abstract
Plant cell walls form an organic complex composite material that fulfils various functions. The hierarchical structure of this material is generated from the integration of its elementary components. This review provides an overview of wood as a composite material followed by its deconstruction into fibres that can then be incorporated into biobased composites. Firstly, the fibres are defined, and their various origins are discussed. Then, the organisation of cell walls and their components are described. The emphasis is on the molecular interactions of the cellulose microfibrils, lignin and hemicelluloses in planta. Hemicelluloses of diverse species and cell walls are described. Details of their organisation in the primary cell wall are provided, as understanding of the role of hemicellulose has recently evolved and is likely to affect our perception and future study of their secondary cell wall homologs. The importance of the presence of water on wood mechanical properties is also discussed. These sections provide the basis for understanding the molecular arrangements and interactions of the components and how they influence changes in fibre properties once isolated. A range of pulping processes can be used to individualise wood fibres, but these can cause damage to the fibres. Therefore, issues relating to fibre production are discussed along with the dispersion of wood fibres during extrusion. The final section explores various ways to improve fibres obtained from wood.
Highlights
Natural fibres of various types have been essential to mankind for centuries
The cell wall of land plants is characterized by a framework of polysaccharides, semi-crystalline cellulose microfibrils embedded in an amorphous matrix containing hemicellulose, pectin, polyphenolic material and proteins
We describe the latest results in detail, as similar structures and roles could be extrapolated to the secondary cell wall
Summary
Plastics and synthetic fibres invented during the 20th century have led to the generation of numerous types of synthetic fibre-reinforced polymer composites that are widely used in everyday life. Such synthetic materials are mostly generated from non-renewable sources, so the use of plant fibres in composites (known as biobased composites) is gaining interest. Wefocus focuson onthe thebiological biologicalorigin origin of of wood wood fibre fibre properties and conduction define their their hierarchically-organised hierarchically-organised describe how their functions of support and sap conduction architecture and molecular interactions in both primary and secondary cell walls This approach has undertakenbecause because exhaustive overviews ofwall cell composition wall composition and architecture are been undertaken exhaustive overviews of cell and architecture are relatively relatively rare, they are usually restricted to eitheror primary or secondary thenhow discuss rare, as they areasusually restricted to either primary secondary cell walls.cell.
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