On the ultrastructure of cellulose microfibrils

Statistical formulae based on generally accepted models for cellulose microfibril structure were developed to calculate the mean length of microfibril segments which do not contain molecular chain‐ends, i.e., “continuous segments.” The calculated length of such “continuous segments” for microfibrils of 2–3 mμ cross section, containing molecules of a degree of polymerization from 2 × 103 to 6 × 103, is in the range of 300–1500 A. The relationship between “continuous segments” and crystalline and amorphous regions of cellulose microfibrils is discussed.