1.1 Inside the cell wall: X-ray scattering analysis of modified and unmodified wood

Wood is a complex and hierarchical material, but the main bulk of its volume consists of thick secondary cell walls. The secondary cell walls in turn mostly consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. This means that most properties of wood ultimately derive from the nanoscale structure of the cell wall. Many wood modification techniques and chemical processes that use wood as a precursor also target the cell wall components in one or more ways. Thus, it is imperative to understand the nanoscale structure of wood. X-ray scattering methods provide a non-destructive way to look at nanoscale changes inside the cell wall of wood, whilst allowing for measurements under practical, ambient conditions. Scattering methods are particularly useful in determining how cellulose is organized inside the cell wall. Scattering methods also allow us to investigate how different treatment and processing methods affect the nanostructure inside the cell wall. I will go over what X-ray scattering data can tell us about the nanoscale structures inside the cell wall with a particular focus on cellulose, and how different treatment methods affect it.