Understanding plants, and wood in particular, is important for the development of sustainable products and materials. The microstructure at the nano level is of particular interest in this context. At the same time, these structures are difficult to visualize due to their small scale. However, nano-tomography can overcome this limitation.
Wood has the property of adapting its dimensions to the ambient climate (temperature and humidity). Therefore, climate control is also necessary for investigations at the nano level. To this purpose, the Thuenen Institute of Wood Research, in collaboration with the University of Hamburg, has designed and developed a climate cell in a long-term project at DESY.
The climate cell is now available to all users at beamline P05 (operated by Hereon at the DESY storage ring PETRA III, Germany). Samples that are sensitive to the ambient climate can now be examined under stable conditions. This enables new insights, e.g., into the swelling and shrinkage behavior as well as the structural integrity of wood and other materials. Research is working intensively on this topic to ensure the long-term and therefore sustainable use of wood.
Contact:
Dr. Martin Nopens
Prof. Dr. Andreas Krause
More informations:
Link to: Journal of Synchrotron Radiation
