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Cotton Fiber: Physics, Chemistry and Biology pp 13–39Cite as

Cotton Fiber Structure

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Abstract

Cotton fibers have complex structures despite being composed almost exclusively of the molecule cellulose. Cellulose molecules, composed of d-glucose residues, are arranged in nano-sized crystals, or crystallites. The fundamental unit of the crystal is the unit cell that is repeated along its edges, along with the atoms inside, to create the entire crystal. Crystallites are grouped into microfibrils that, in turn, are clustered into sheet-like structures that wrap around the lumen or vacuole at various angles. These layers of primary wall sheets are themselves surrounded by a winding layer, the primary wall, and a cuticle. This chapter focuses on X-ray diffraction to interpret cotton fiber structure. Patterns are shown from electron diffraction, laboratory powder X-ray diffraction, and synchrotron X-ray diffraction for both single and bundled fibers. Single-fiber and fiber bundle patterns differ because of the varied angle of the microfibrils to the main fiber axis. The bundle patterns include many of the varied angles, but single fibers have just one major angle when a micron-sized X-ray beam is used. Also shown are computed diffraction patterns based on the known atom positions. Widely used methods for X-ray analysis are flawed. Instead, interpretations of the patterns can follow the logic of “what modifications are needed to the computed ideal pattern” so that it best resembles the experimental pattern. The Rietveld powder diffraction method refines variables such as crystallite size, unit cell dimensions, and amount of amorphous material. However, there are many other possible variables in Rietveld software, more than cotton data can support.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The values of crystallite width and number of chains are based on measurements of diffraction pattern peak widths at the end of this chapter. The values were interpreted to give a “diamond-shaped” model. Krassig and Kappner’s length of 85 nm is longer than the 21.2 nm value indicated by the diffraction pattern in Fig. 2.10.

  2. 2.

    CAMD, the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, is a facility of Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cotton Structure and Quality Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Alfred D. French

  2. Cotton Fiber Bioscience Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Hee Jin Kim

Authors
  1. Alfred D. French
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  2. Hee Jin Kim
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Correspondence to Alfred D. French .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cotton Fiber Bioscience Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    David D. Fang

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French, A.D., Kim, H.J. (2018). Cotton Fiber Structure. In: Fang, D. (eds) Cotton Fiber: Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00871-0_2

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