Moisture induced straining of the cellulosic microfibril

Moisture absorption in the cell wall structure of wood is well known to induce considerable swelling of the wood exerting high expansion forces. This swelling is mainly induced by the sorptive action of the hydroxyl groups of the carbohydrate wood polymers; cellulose and hemicelluloses. On the ultrastructural level, there are, however, still questions with regard to the detailed deformations induced by this moisture absorption. Here, FTIR spectroscopy and synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray diffraction were used on paper samples to study the deformation of the cellulose crystals as a consequence of moisture absorption and desorption. Both techniques revealed that the moisture absorption resulted in a transverse contraction of the cellulose crystals accompanied by a somewhat smaller elongation in the cellulose chain direction. The deformations were found to be a direct response to the increased moisture content and were also found to be reversible during moisture desorption. It is hypothesised that these deformations are a consequence of the swelling forces created by the combined longitudinal and lateral expansions of the non-crystalline cellulose molecules and the glucomannan hemicellulose aligned along the cellulose crystals. These forces will impose a lateral contraction of the cellulose crystals, as well as a longitudinal extension of it. Graphic abstract