Plant Age Effect on Mechanical Properties of Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys Heterocycla Var. Pubescens) Single Fibers

Bamboo fiber has greater mechanical strength than certain other natural fibers and could therefore be a candidate for production of fiber-reinforced composites. Single fibers were isolated from Moso bamboo samples taken from plants between 0.5 and 8.5 yr old. Mechanical properties of single fibers (tensile strength, modulus of elasticity (MOE), and other mechanical related properties such as the microfibril angle and fiber cross-sectional area) were studied. There was no significant variation with age in average MOE and fracture strain of the bamboo fibers. Results indicate that the thickening growth of cell walls in bamboo fibers near the outer surface of bamboo is almost complete by 0.5 yr. Therefore, fibers from 0.5 to 8.5 yr old plants may be used for making fiber-reinforced composites