10.Invited – Imaging with X-ray scattering contrast for the characterization of hierarchical material structure
Microscopy in scanning mode allows to image different contrasts from the sample, by probing not only absorption and phase contrast of the sample but for example a full X-ray fluorescence spectrum or a 2D scattering pattern. Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) imaging is in particular valuable for heterogeneous samples, in which structural elements in […]
10.Keynote – Synchrotron-Enabled Nanocellulose Research: from Basic Science to New Circular Solutions for Improving Water-Food-Infrastructural Nexus
The Hsiao group at Stony Brook has been using a wide range of synchrotron X-ray scattering and spectroscopic techniques to investigate many fundamental aspects of nanocellulose, the nanoscale aggregate of elementary cellulose microfibril (the building block of plant cells). The investigated topics included: (i) the cross-sectional shape and dimensions as well as the aggregation behavior […]
10.4 Scattering Studies of Wood-Based, Hybrid Materials and their Constituents
The macroscopic properties, e.g. mechanical, of wood-based materials depends on their molecular and nanoscale structure. For example, the deformation of wood cells can be directly related to their hierarchical architecture and to a stick–slip mechanism at the molecular and nanometer scale [1]. Observing the length scales up to micrometer is necessary to understand the wood-based […]
10.5 Utilizing X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to study self-assembly dynamics of cellulose nanocrystals
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) exhibit self-assembly into higher-ordered chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) structures. Understanding their dynamic behavior during phase transitions is crucial for advancing nanomaterial applications in photonics, biomaterials, and coatings. In this study, we employ X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) to investigate the real-time self-assembly dynamics of CNC suspensions at varying concentrations, ranging from […]
10.2 3D-Visualisation of the nanoscale properties of cellulose microfibrils in wood by combined SWAXS and high-resolution microtomography
As the demand for sustainable products grows, forest-derived materials, particularly biodegradable, lignocellulosic plant fibres, play an essential role in addressing global societal and economic needs. These materials owe their exceptional mechanical properties to the hierarchical arrangement of their cellular structures, composite-like cell walls and the ultrastructural characteristics of the cellulose microfibrils. This is the case especially for wood, in which […]
10.1 Characterizing the hierarchical structure of cellulosic biomaterials using μXRD
Small/Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (S/WAXS) is commonly applied to study the hierarchical structure of cellulosic materials. This structural information, such as the crystallinity index and the degree of cellulose fibril orientation, is essential for a fundamental understanding of the mechanical properties of cellulosic biomaterials. In addition, S/WAXS using synchrotron-based μXRD links the atomic and nanoscale […]
10.3 Absorption of liquid water in paper and wood observed by in situ X-ray scattering
Absorption of liquid water by cellulosic materials is a fundamental phenomenon with crucial role in absorbent paper products, printing and packaging materials, as well as in various applications and manufacturing steps of wood products. The imbibition of water in such hierarchical porous materials is difficult to study in high detail. Especially, the absorption and transport […]
P10.1 – Role of Lignin in Moisture Interactions of Cellulose Microfibril Structures in Wood
Wood is a complex, hierarchical material that has complex interactions with moisture. Fundamentally, most of these properties derive from the how the biomolecules that make up the cell wall ultrastructure react to water. Understanding of how the polysaccharine components of the cell wall: cellulose and hemicellulose respond to moisture changes is improving [1]. However, the […]
P10.2 – Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis of moisture interactions in oriented pulp fibers
Interactions of pulp fibers with moisture, including the presence of water in differently sized pores and irreversible effects of drying, are critical for many applications of pulps. X-ray scattering offers an unprecedented view into the nanostructure and packing of cellulose microfibrils under different conditions. However, interpreting scattering data requires special efforts. This research focuses on […]
P10.3 – Optimizing Sulfonation in CTMP: Insights from Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Analysis
High-yield pulping, such as Chemithermomechanical Pulp (CTMP), is critical in developing sustainable fiber-based packaging materials. Achieving uniform lignin sulfonation during the impregnation process is crucial for maintaining fiber stiffness, maximizing bulk, and optimizing energy efficiency. However, current impregnation techniques often result in uneven distribution of sulfite (-SO₃⁻), leading to variations in fiber properties and increased […]
