Examining Cellulose-Pectin Interactions in Plant Cell Wall and Implication in Composite Design

Abstract

The cell wall (CW) in plants is an anisotropic fiber-reinforced composite material made from multiple components (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and lignin), with their structure and properties varying throughout the growth process to accommodate its multifunctional biological and structural needs. Revealing the architecture of plant CW and the role of its constituent and their interfaces is the key driver for this study. Here we characterized the composite-structure-mechanical response outcome of CW under component removal using enzymatic treatment, followed by instrumented indentation, optical microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy analysis to illustrate the changes. The results of the study indicate the critical role of pectin in the structure, where its breakage f1rom the cell wall leads to a maximum loss in structure and strength both for the early and later stages of plant growth. This study forms the basis of an expanded future investigation into the cell wall structure toward designing flexible fiber-reinforced composites for a broad range of applications.