The spatial orientation and interaction of cell wall polymers in bamboo revealed with a combination of imaging polarized FTIR and directional chemical removal

The mechanical and physical properties of lignocellulosic materials are closely related to the orientation and interaction of the polymers within cell walls. In this work, Imaging Polarized FTIR, combined with directional chemical removal, was applied to characterize the spatial orientation and interaction of cell wall polymers in bamboo fibers and parenchyma cells from two bamboo species. The results demonstrate the cellulose in bamboo fibers is nearly axially oriented whereas it is almost transversely arranged in parenchyma cells. Xylan and lignin are both preferentially oriented alongside cellulose, but with less orientation degree in the parenchyma cells. After lignin removal, the average orientation of xylan and cellulose is little affected, suggesting a strong interaction between cellulose and xylan. However, the alkaline treatment significantly weakens the orientation of lignin in both fibers and parenchyma cells, and more significant for the latter, indicating the easy-degradable nature of lignin in parenchyma cells. Additionally, it seemed the lignin and xylan in fibers were more difficult to remove as compared to parenchyma cells, supporting the assumption that stronger interaction exists between lignin and xylan in the fibers. In a word, it is believed parenchyma cells are more suitable for biorefinery owing to their less ordered and relatively loose molecular assembly, as compared to fibers.