Tensile Performance of a Novel Glue-Laminated Cornstalk Scrimber

Abstract

Glue-laminated cornstalk scrimber is a novel composite to substitute timber. This composite can be prepared in three steps: selecting flawless cornstalks, laying them parallel to grain, and gluing the scrimbers under high pressure. Compared with ordinary timber, glue-laminated cornstalk scrimber excels in the resistance to water, damping, insect, and fire. It is therefore widely recognized as novel eco-friendly and cost- effective composite with great potential in the building industry. The tensile strength of glue-laminated cornstalk scrimber mainly depends on the parallel-to-grain strength of its fibers. The mechanical performance parallel to grain directly determines that of this composite. Hence, this paper carries out experimental analysis on the Young’s moduli and parallel-to-grain tensile strengths of cornstalk scrimber and glue-laminated cornstalk scrimber. The results show that the load-strain curve of glue-laminated cornstalk scrimber basically changed linearly parallel to grain, and the material exhibited stable Young’s modulus and good strength; the glue-laminated cornstalk scrimber had a slightly higher tensile strength than cornstalk scrimber, and could thus replace timber as a building material.