Flax is composed of fibers and xylem parts which differ from each other in the chemical or morphological properties. Most fibers are slender bast fibers with thick cell walls, which is mostly made of cellulose. Xylem parts are consist of small cells, of which main chemical components are lignin and hemicellulose as well as cellulose.
The distribution of lignin in flax stem was measured by the method of UV micrography using microdensitometric tracing. As the results, it was found that considerable amount of lignin exists in the xylem of the stem, lignin concentration of middle lamella in the secondary xylem was higher than those in other parts and a little lignin exists in the phloem of the stem.
Flax pulp was prepared by the neutral sodium sulphite process and beaten to various freeness. These beaten flax pulp fibers were observed by an optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The number and length of branched fibrills were measured after freeze drying. It was recognized that the number and length of fibrills which were branched from fiber and the number of secondarily branching increased with beating. And the values of them were bigger than those in case of wood pulp.
Besides, it was found that fiber shortening took place and increase of the water retention value of the flax pulp was less than that of wood pulp, that is to say, fiber shortening and external fibrillation of flax pulp were caused mainley by beating.
The structure of hand sheets which prepared from flax pulp of varied freeness were measured by the mercury penetration method. As the results, it was recognized that hand sheets from flax pulp had more pore volume and larger average pore diameter than those from wood pulp. And micropores of them increased along with the progress of beating.
The properties of the hand sheets had following characteristics, such as high opacity, low density and high porosity. These properties were caused by characteristics of chemical and morphological properties of flax bast fiber and their behaviours during beating.
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