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Quantitative characterization of wood microstructure
Author(s) -
Steele James H.,
Ifju Geza,
Johnson Jay A.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1976.tb02450.x
Subject(s) - maple , characterization (materials science) , sugar , biology , quantitative assessment , quantitative analysis (chemistry) , botany , hardwood , biological system , materials science , chemistry , mathematics , chromatography , nanotechnology , biochemistry , statistics
SUMMARY Stereological countings were applied to transverse sections of closely related and widely different species of hardwoods for quantitative characterization. Anatomical elements, such as the wall and lumen of vessels, fibres, and ray cells, were distinguished. Volume fraction, average size, average spacing, aspect ratios for oriented features, and size distribution parameters were then calculated. Sampling fields were strategically and systematically located within growth rings for characterization of the spatial distribution of the anatomical elements. Initially five species: paper birch, yellow birch, sugar maple, aspen, and sassafras cross‐sections were subjected to quantitative stereological analysis. The two birch species were anatomically very similar, and somewhat similar to the sugar maple. Sassafras was very different in structure from the other three species studied. Aspen was typical diffuse‐porous wood. The initial results were promising, and revealed certain subtle distribution patterns never before recognized. Second, all species including those which were very similar, were recognized by quantitative expression of their structural elements. Third, the method provided quantitative descriptions of the structural characteristics. It is expected that stereological analysis of wood structure will be used for prediction of properties and utilization potentials of the various species, as well as for their identification.