Comparison of Methods to Measure Fibril Angle in Wood Fibres

Abstract

Fibril angle is a key determinant of fibre mechanical properties. Two of the most useful techniques for measuring fibril angle are X-ray diffractometry (XRD), for solid wood, and confocal microscopy, for individual fibres or small groups of fibres. This paper compares fibril angles determined using XRD and confocal microscopy for one spruce and two radiata pine samples. Good agreement was obtained between the fibril angles given by the two methods.