Evaluation of elastic modulus and hardness of crop stalks cell walls by nano-indentation

Yan Wu; Siqun Wang; Dingguo Zhou; Cheng Xing; Yang Zhang; Zhiyong Cai

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.074

Evaluation of elastic modulus and hardness of crop stalks cell walls by nano-indentation

Bioresour Technol. 2010 Apr;101(8):2867-71. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.074. Epub 2009 Dec 1.

Authors

Yan Wu¹, Siqun Wang, Dingguo Zhou, Cheng Xing, Yang Zhang, Zhiyong Cai

Affiliation

¹ College of Wood Science and Technology, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China.

PMID: 19954968
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2009.10.074

Abstract

Agricultural biomaterials such as crop stalks are natural sources of cellulosic fiber and have great potential as reinforced materials in bio-composites. In order to evaluate their potential as materials for reinforcement, the nano-mechanical properties of crop-stalk cell walls, i.e. those of cotton (Gossypium herbaceu) stalk, soybean (Glycine max) stalk, cassava (Manihot esculent) stalk, rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw, and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw, were investigated by means of nano-indentation and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The elastic modulus of wheat straw was found to be 20.8 GPa, which was higher than that of the other four crops. The highest hardness was observed in cotton stalk at 0.85 GPa. The elastic moduli of the crop stalks were lower than those of most of the hardwood species, but higher than that of some softwoods and of lyocell fiber. The mean value of the hardness of the five crop stalks' cell walls was higher than those of wood or lyocell fiber.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Cell Wall / physiology*
Crops, Agricultural / anatomy & histology
Crops, Agricultural / physiology*
Elastic Modulus*
Hardness
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Nanotechnology / methods
Plant Stems / cytology*