Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.231, No.1, 190-194, 2000
A comparative study of enzymatically and photochemically polymerized artificial lignin supramolecular structures using environmental scanning electron microscopy
Environmental scanning electron microscopy images of the self-assembled structures of enzymatically (DHP) and photochemically polymerized (PCP) artificial lignin are herein presented. Differences in the structural organization between DHP and PCP polymer at the supramolecular level were reported. Based on topological information, we proposed a hypothesis about possible new physiological roles of lignin in live plant cells and the ecological significance of possible in-vivo photochemical lignin polymerization.
Keywords:lignin;DHP polymer;coniferyl alcohol;colloids;colloidal crystal;polymers;self-assembly;plant physiology;environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM)