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Physical and mechanical properties of bamboo fibers

Bamboo is a naturally occurring composite material in which cellulose fibers reinforce lignin matrix. In this research, a combination of different atomistic simulation techniques has been used to study the physics and mechanical properties of bamboo fiber. Since the interfacial adhesion between cellulose and lignin plays an important role in overall mechanical properties of bamboo fibers, the nanoscale adhesion energies between cellulose nanofibrils and the Lignin-Carbohydrate Complex (LCC) matrix were calculated. Good agreement was observed between the simulation results and experimental data. The results shown that the hemicellulose model has better thermodynamic and mechanical properties whereas lignin exhibits greater tendency to adhere to cellulose nanofibrils. The study suggests that the abundance of hydrogen bonds in hemicellulose chains is responsible for improving the mechanical behavior of LCC. The strong van der Waals forces between lignin molecules and cellulose nanofibril is responsible for higher adhesion energy between LCC and cellulose nanofibrils. The adhesion energies, however, are not the same for all nanofibril faces and the LCC matrix has less tendency to adhere to (100) and (-100) faces due to weak hydrogen bond interactions between them. We also found out that the amorphous regions of cellulose nanofibrils are the weakest interfaces in bamboo fibers. Hence, they determine the fiber strength.

Author(s):

Sina Youssefian    
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
United States

Nima Rahbar    
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
United States