Effects of forming conditions on mechanical properties of resinless bamboo composites

This paper deals with the development of resinless, unidirectional bamboo fibre-reinforced eco-composites. Resinless bamboo composites were fabricated by the hot-pressing of unidirectional bamboo fibres extracted by a steam explosion method. The effects of forming conditions on their mechanical properties were investigated. The forming temperature was changed every 20 degrees C from room temperature to 180 degrees C, and the forming pressure used was 10 MPa and 50 MPa. Except for the conditions below 60 degrees C, their tensile strength and fracture elongation decreased with increasing forming temperature. Average tensile strength and Young's modulus of the resinless bamboo composites fabricated at 120 degrees C and 50 MPa were 322 MPa and 37 GPa respectively.