Abstract

The most significant renewable resource on Earth for industrial usage is wood, yet little is known about how biopolymers on cell walls age. In the case of wood and many other lignocellulosic materials, adhesion qualities are crucial. To investigate the adhesion force phenomenon and the effects of heat treatments, we used atomic force microscopy and defined the jump-off force ratio in the retract force-displacement curve. Here, we found two sigmoidal curves that described the change in the adhesion force and the jump-off force ratio. The first curve was assigned to the movement of extractives, while the second was related to the breakdown of the hemicellulose-lignin matrix. By examining the cell wall surface topography and performing a Fourier analysis on the treated samples, we were able to confirm the theory presented in this study.