lignin
Woody tissue polymer
Lignin is a complex organic polymer that gives rigidity to plant cell walls, making wood woody.
It's the substance that allows trees to stand upright and resist compression.
Second only to cellulose as the most abundant organic compound on Earth, lignin binds plant fibers together and makes them resistant to decay.
Paper production involves removing lignin from wood pulp—its presence causes paper to yellow over time.
Wood for construction
- hardwoodDense deciduous timber
- softwoodConiferous tree lumber
- barkSharp canine vocalization
- xylemPlant water conduit
vascular tissue · heartwood · sapwood · grain · lumber · pulp · sawdust · woodchips
Fungal wood decomposition
- brown rotFungal fruit disease
- peroxidasePeroxide-degrading enzyme
- fungiSpore-reproducing decomposers
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
delignification · decay · composting · humus · carbon cycle · recalcitrance
Plant wall polysaccharide
- cell wallRigid cellular outer layer
- middle lamellaShared boundary between adjacent cells
- polysaccharidesMulti-unit sugar polymers
- polymerLarge repeated-unit molecule
cross-linking · macromolecule · aromatic · pectin · matrix
Converting to soft mass
- paper productionManufacturing sheets from pulp
- biorefineryBiomass conversion facility
- biofuelFuel from organic sources
- bioethanolFuel from fermented plants
fermentation · pretreatment · feedstock · pyrolysis · valorization · bioplastics · vanillin · byproduct
Resistance to deformation
- structural supportElement bearing weight
- strengthPower to exert force
- hardnessResistance to penetration
- firmnessResistance to deformation
tensile strength · durability · stability · toughness · resilience · load-bearing · reinforcement · rigidity
timber
Wood for construction
xylem · vascular tissue · heartwood · sapwood · grain · lumber · pulp · sawdust · woodchips · forestry
white rot
Fungal wood decomposition
- brown rotFungal fruit disease
- peroxidasePeroxide-degrading enzyme
- fungiSpore-reproducing decomposers
decomposition · delignification · decay · composting · humus · carbon cycle · recalcitrance
cellulose
Plant wall polysaccharide
- cell wallRigid cellular outer layer
- middle lamellaShared boundary between adjacent cells
- polysaccharidesMulti-unit sugar polymers
polymer · cross-linking · macromolecule · aromatic · pectin · matrix
pulping
Converting to soft mass
- paper productionManufacturing sheets from pulp
- biorefineryBiomass conversion facility
- biofuelFuel from organic sources
bioethanol · fermentation · pretreatment · feedstock · pyrolysis · valorization · bioplastics · vanillin · byproduct
stiffness
Resistance to deformation
- structural supportElement bearing weight
- strengthPower to exert force
- hardnessResistance to penetration
firmness · tensile strength · durability · stability · toughness · resilience · load-bearing · reinforcement · rigidity
- pulp processingpulp, mechanical pulping, delignification, digesting, digesters
- Plant-Relatedplant, leaf, root, stem, bark
- fiberdietary fiber, fiber, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, fiber content
- forest productslumber, timber, plywood sheets, hardwood, softwood
- plant productslumber, cotton fiber, fiber, starch, cellulose
- fiber sourcesbran, oats, wheat bran, whole grains, lentils
lignincellulose
Plant wall polysaccharide
pectin · elastin · soft tissue · parenchyma · collagen
ligninrubber
Elastic polymer from trees
latex · soft tissue · parenchyma · pith · pulp
- lignite miningHarvesting soft, brownish coal