Exploring the mechanical performance and in-planta architecture of secondary hemp fibres

Peak-Force Quantitative Nano-Mechanical property mapping (PF-QNM) and Micro Tomography were applied to explore the architecture and nano-mechanical properties of hemp secondary fibres cell walls. After a comparative morphological analysis of both primary and secondary fibres, secondary bundles structure and mechanical properties were investigated. As a first, it was showed that, in spite of important morphological differences, secondary fibres stiffness was the same that primary fibres one; moreover, innovative tomographic images gave an inedited representation of secondary bundles confirming the intrusive development of secondary hemp fibres.