Papers made with such fibers have improved strength and dimensional stability properties. Juvenile wood, which has inferior strength properties compared to mature wood, also has a higher microfibril angle. Measurement of microfibril angle in southern pine generally requires solid wood samples and expensive equipment. We have overcome this limitation by developing a simple, rapid and inexpensive method for measuring the microfibril angle in southern pine tracheids. New Simple and Rapid Method for Microfibril Angle Measurement Microfibrils in southern pine can be directly visualized in pulped tracheids by differential interference contrast microscopy.
Figure below shows a typical image from a portion of a loblolly pine tracheid.
The microfibrils are readily visualized. DIC Image of a region from a loblolly pine tracheid. With image analysis software, the angle of the micro-fibrils relative to the long axis of the cell is easily measured. In collaboration with forest scientists from the University of Georgia at Athens and the U.S. Forest Service, we are currently using this method to determine the variation in microfibril angle of southern pine trees grown on intensively managed plantations. The effects of management practices on microfibril angle are of immediate importance.