Environmental-Friendly Sandwich Panel Using Bamboo Skin Wastes as Core Material

Abstract

This paper discusses the results from a study that has been undertaken to develop a product from bamboo culm’s outer skin that was considered as wastes. Initially, by means of a simple process of gluing and pressing, bamboo panel composites were produced with Gigantochloa scortechinii bamboo skin wastes. Using existing sandwich technology, layered or sandwich panel were then produced using the bamboo skin wastes panel as the core material while plywood were used as the outer layer. The aim was to access the bending strength of the bamboo skin wastes panel, the sandwich panel and subsequently to compare them with common bamboo composites that utilized either strips or splits in their production process. Though the product has limited strength and is restricted to interior and non-structural components, it is still very well suitable for wall, doors, tabletops and shelves.