Effect of Laminated Structure on the Mechanical Properties of Reclaimed Bamboo Chopsticks-Wood Veneer Hybrid Laminated Composite

Abstract

The waste created by disposable bamboo chopsticks used in dine in restaurants, fast food, and takeaway has an increasingly enormous impact. The object of this study was to investigate the effect of the type of laminate structure on the mechanical properties of a novel type of biodegradable bamboo-wood hybrid composite processed from the reclaimed bamboo chopsticks and wood veneer hybrid laminate composite (BWHC). Four types of laminate structures were chosen for comparison namely: bamboo chopsticks parallel laminate (Type I), bamboo chopsticks cross-laminate (Type II), bamboo chopsticks-wood veneer parallel laminate (Type III), and bamboo chopsticks-wood veneer cross-laminate (Type IV). The results revealed that the modulus of rupture MOR of Type I>Type III>Type IV>Type II. The optimum bonding strength for BWHC was displayed by the structural Type III, followed by Types I, IV and II. The horizontal wood veneers layer between the bamboo chopsticks layers effectively improve the bonding strength of BWHC which was confirmed by SEM observation. The dynamic mechanical properties of BWHC were examined by performing low velocity impact loading tests. The impact performance of BWHC was significantly greater in the samples designed with a cross-laminate structure. Mixed failure models for the BWHC under the impact test were found, including debonding, delamination, fiber tensile fracture, and structural collapse. Structural collapse was main failure model of BWHC with a cross hybrid lamination and their values of the total energy absorbed was far greater than BWHC with parallel laminate. This study suggest that bamboo-wood hybrid composite with low cost, biodegradability, and excellent physical and mechanical properties can be manufactured by the recycling utilization and structural design.