Enhancement for Mechanical Properties of Green Composites Using Treated Yellow Bamboo

Abstract

Bamboo is a natural material with a very light density compared to steel. The bamboo can replace steel to reinforce concrete or composite materials in construction. In this study, the bamboo was treated by chemical process through two steps: (1) NaOH and Na2SO3 mixture, (2) H2O2 solution. The results showed that the color of the extract and the lignin content were significantly influenced by the extraction time and the concentration of chemicals used. Similarly, in terms of the mechanical properties of the epoxy-based green composite material, there was an improvement on the values of flexural and compressive strength for the composite reinforced the treated bamboo. Research results show the potential applications of bamboo to gradually replace fiberglass in green structures, safe for humans and environmentally friendly.