X-ray computed microtomography and 2D image analysis for morphological characterization of short lignocellulosic fibers raw materials: A benchmark survey

Optimizing the performance of lignocellulosic fibers often requires relating mechanical behavior or morphological characteristics to microstructure. X-ray computed microtomography (X-ray CT), which provides 3D images with a high level of detail at both the micro- and macro-scales, may overcome these difficulties. This work provides a comparative analysis of the potential of X-ray CT (3D) and an office scanner (2D) for morphological characterization of lignocellulosic fibers. To this end, three specimens of lignocellulosic fiber materials obtained after the first decortication of the plant were retained. X-ray CT and 2D scanning correlations of sample diameter distributions are presented. The general aspects of the fibers diameter correlation are discussed. Image analysis was used to assess the potential and limitations of both the X-ray CT and 2D scanning methods based on the experimental work, and the main conclusions of the benchmark study are given in a table.