A clean, simple, and efficient method for preparing vibration-reducing low-carbon bamboo building materials with high strength

Abstract

Large-format bamboo panels prepared by bamboo flattening are adhesive-free and retain the natural structure of bamboo, making them ideal materials for interior architecture. However, due to poor dimensional stability and vibration-reducing properties, flattened bamboo easily deforms and vibrates when applied to building walls and floors due to ambient humidity changes or external excitation, impacting both comfort and structural safety. In this work, a clean, efficient, and simple densification process for flattened bamboo is developed to prepare low-carbon bamboo building materials with enhanced vibration reduction. The results indicated that the densification process reduced the vibration intensity of the flattened bamboo under excitation, changed its vibrational modes, avoided low-frequency resonance, and improved its vibration reduction and suppression properties. The dynamic stiffness of the densified bamboo increased to 3.23–3.63 times, while the root mean square (RMS) and transfer function value decreased by 20.84 % and 62.5 %, respectively. The MOE (16.2 GPa) and MOR (276 MPa) increased to 2.73 times and 2.22 times, respectively. The densified bamboo met the dimensional stability requirements of the GB/T 18102–2020 building material standards. Compared with damping, the increased stiffness played the primary role in improving the vibration-reducing properties of densified bamboo. The hydrothermal mechanical treatment changed the structure and composition. From a macroscopic perspective, the gradient structure of the vascular bundles and parenchyma cells was gradually plasticized and homogenized, compacting large capillary pores and channels such as those in parenchyma cells, vessels, and sieve tubes. On a microscopic level, defects such as pits, intercellular spaces, and micropores were filled, and microfibrils between the middle lamellae were tightly stacked, forming a mechanically-interlocked structure. At the molecular scale, there was an increase in the crystallinity and orientation of cellulose molecular chains, accompanied by an increase in hydrogen bond density. The densified bamboo developed in this study shows good application potential for vibration-reduction structures such as buildings and rail transit.