Vätning på mikroskala
Individual cellulose ?bers were studied to identify the transport and absorbtion phenomena as well as the in?uence of drying. A Chalmers University of Technologydeveloped method within ESEM (Enviromental Scanning Electron Microscope) has been used in this study. The results from the laborations gave the following conclu-sions: The transport of water occurs in ?bers in the ?ber wall surface and the lumen. Collapsed ?bers can only transport water on the outside and has generally slowerabsorption rate than non-collapsed ?bers. In some cases a better transportation capacity can be observed, because the surface structure of the ?ber is important inregards of transportation. Horni?cation results in a size reduction of pores on the surface of the ?bers. Drying processes increases horni?cation of ?bers, this has beenshown to give lower absorptive capacity.