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The Nanoscale Ordering of Cellulose in a Hierarchically Structured Hybrid Material Revealed Using Scanning Electron Diffraction
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry (MMK).ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2574-3655
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry (MMK). Uppsala University, Sweden.
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry (MMK), Inorganic and Structural Chemistry.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6120-1218
2024 (English)In: Small Methods, E-ISSN 2366-9608, Vol. 8, no 5, article id 2301304Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Cellulose, being a renewable and abundant biopolymer, has garnered significant attention for its unique properties and potential applications in hybrid materials. Understanding the hierarchical arrangement of cellulose nanofibers is crucial for developing cellulose-based materials with enhanced mechanical properties. In this study, the use of Scanning Electron Diffraction (SED) is presented to map the nanoscale orientation of cellulose fibers in a bio-composite material with a preserved wood cell structure. The SED data provides detailed insights into the ordering of cellulose with an extraordinary resolution of approximate to 15 nm. It enables a quantitative analysis of the fiber orientation over regions as large as entire cells. A highly organized arrangement of cellulose fibers within the secondary cell wall is observed, with a gradient of orientations toward the outer part of the wall. The in-plane fiber rotation is quantified, revealing a uniform orientation close to the middle lamella. Transversely sectioned material exhibits similar trends, suggesting a layered cell wall structure. Based on the SED data, a 3D model depicting the complex helical alignment of fibers throughout the cell wall is constructed. This study demonstrates the unique opportunities SED provides for characterizing the nanoscale hierarchical arrangement of cellulose nanofibers, empowering further research on a range of hybrid materials. Fundamental knowledge about the hierarchical arrangement of cellulose nanofiber is of great importance in developing new cellulose-based hybrid materials. Scanning electron diffraction is employed to map the cellulose nanofiber orientations throughout a wood-derived bio-based material. SED data reveals insights into cellulose alignment and enables precise quantitative fiber orientation analysis with a nanoscale spatial resolution.image

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2024. Vol. 8, no 5, article id 2301304
Keywords [en]
4D-STEM, cellulose nanofiber, composite materials, hierarchical structures, scanning electron diffraction
National Category
Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-224677DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301304ISI: 001118458300001PubMedID: 38072622Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85179334161OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-224677DiVA, id: diva2:1821127
Available from: 2023-12-19 Created: 2023-12-19 Last updated: 2025-09-10Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Nanoscale Orientation Mapping of Biopolymer Hierarchies Using Scanning Electron Diffraction
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Nanoscale Orientation Mapping of Biopolymer Hierarchies Using Scanning Electron Diffraction
2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The properties of fiber-based composite materials are highly anisotropic and depend on the orientation and organization of their fibers. In natural systems, such as wood or arthropod exoskeletons, nanofibrils like cellulose and chitin are arranged in complex hierarchical structures that enhance strength, toughness, and sometimes iridescence. These native nanofibrils are crystalline, consisting of tightly packed chains of sugar-based molecules (polysaccharides) organized in nanostructures with anisotropic mechanical behavior. This thesis introduces a methodology using scanning electron diffraction (SED) to analyze the nanoscale orientation of structural polysaccharides in both natural and synthetic composite materials. By scanning a nearly parallel electron beam of just a few nanometers across the sample and capturing a diffraction pattern at each probe position, the local crystallographic orientation of nanofibrils can be determined with significantly improved spatial resolution compared to existing methods. Tilt-series acquisition further enables the reconstruction of the complete three-dimensional fibril orientation, revealing the chirality of the fibrillar organization. Applying this method to electron-beam-sensitive materials, such as cellulose and chitin, presents significant challenges. Their crystalline structures are easily damaged by beam radiation, and they generate weak diffraction signals due to their composition of light elements. To address these issues, low-dose conditions and a specialized data analysis pipeline were developed and integrated into a dedicated workflow. While this work focuses on cellulose and chitin, which are increasingly important in creating advanced hybrid materials, the developed method shows potential for broader applications with other fibrous assemblies, such as those found in bone and spider silk.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Chemistry, Stockholm University, 2025. p. 95
Keywords
Scanning Electron Diffraction, Polysaccharides, 3D Reconstruction, Hierarchical Organization, Chiral Structures
National Category
Materials Chemistry
Research subject
Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-245492 (URN)978-91-8107-388-1 (ISBN)978-91-8107-389-8 (ISBN)
Public defence
2025-10-24, Magneli hall, Svante Arrhenius väg 16B, Stockholm, 14:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2025-10-01 Created: 2025-09-10 Last updated: 2025-09-26Bibliographically approved

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Nero, MathiasAli, HasanWillhammar, Tom

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