The derivation of the cellulose microfibril angle by small-angle X-ray scattering from structurally characterized softwood cell-wall populations

J. Appl. Cryst. (2005). 38, 505–511

The micro-fibril angle M of the cellulose helices in the S₂ layers of the cell walls of softwood has been measured. The values were obtained by fitting the calculated azimuthal distribution of small-angle scattered X-ray intensity to the measured distribution. The calculated distribution was obtained by measuring the width and the orientation of over 100 cell walls in the irradiated volume and summing the intensity scattered by them. Values of M obtained using six different orientations of the specimen in the X-ray beam showed good agreement. Errors arising from the frequently made assumption that the cells are rectangular have been established.

K. M. Entwistle, S. J. Eichhorn and N. Navaranjan