Poplar wood was steam exploded under various experimental conditions (
230-degrees-C, 120-360 sec) and was then dissolved in dimethylacetamid
e-lithium chloride (DMAc-LiCl). Solutions of different concentrations
(c(p) 4-10%) were obtained without any activation. Mesophases were not
formed in any of the conditions tested. The good spinnability of the
solutions led to wood fibers that were evaluated in terms of physico-m
echanical properties and morphological and supramolecular characterist
ics. The tensile strength and the modulus of the wood fibers, improved
through delignification treatments, were comparable to those of conve
ntional rayons. After annealing treatments at 260-degrees-C in protic
solvent, X-ray and CP MAS C-13-NMR experiments revealed evidence of a
marked modification of the fiber supramolecular structure. (C) 1994 Jo
hn Wiley & Sons, Inc.