Extraction of Bamboo Fibers by Chemical Techniques

Abstract

Due to growing environmental concerns and rapid depletion of non-renewable resources, researchers are looking to replace older non-renewable materials with sustainable and environmentally friendly materials that can be recycled or biodegraded. Bamboo fiber is a popular alternative to natural plant fibers due to its many advantages such as low cost, low density, environmental friendliness, sustainability and biodegradability. Compared to synthetic fibers, plant fiber extraction was inherently laborious. Due to their similar mechanical properties, bamboo fiber is a strong contender to replace glass, carbon and other synthetic fibers in natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. Extracted fibers should be produced with long fibers, of suitable quality, and with little or no damage during extraction. The properties of bamboo fiber and bamboo fiber reinforced polymer composites are influenced by many factors, including fiber extraction method, moisture content, fiber size, temperature and length. The purpose of this research is to develop mechanical extraction, steam blasting and other bamboo fiber extraction methods for alkali treatment. Mechanical properties (tensile strength, maximum elongation at break, modulus) of bamboo fibers and their microstructure were measured. Researchers are currently working on the mechanism of the fiber separation process that mechanically enhances fiber performance and should still need improvement and modification, albeit morphologically. Although most fiber extraction studies have been published, the process of creating fibers and improving their quality has also introduced deficiencies in their attributes and properties.