Chemical Components of Wood

The two most abundant components of wood, cellulose and lignin, are polymers. The behavior of these molecules is important in converting plants into fibers for papermaking.

Cellulose is the linear polymer that gives fibers their strength. Lignin is the “glue” that holds the fibers together.

A polymer is a large molecule built up by the repetition of small, simple chemical units held together by covalent bonds.	Molecular Structure of Cellulose
Lignin Monomers	Lignin Structure Lignin is a network polymer