Optimizing processing strategies for eco-friendly bamboo curved components: Insights from bamboo internode and node differences

Abstract

Eco-friendly and high-strength bamboo curved components (BCCs) produced from sustainable bamboo are an ideal substitute for plastic curved components. However, there are challenges in the processing of bamboo into complex curved components due to the differences in bamboo internodes and nodes. Herein, we fabricated L-shaped curved bamboo strips (CBSs) and BCCs using the integrated bending forming process and investigated the performance relationships among bamboo strips, CBSs, and BCCs based on bamboo internode and node differences. Both bamboo internode strips and bamboo node strips exhibited pronounced asymmetric bending behaviors when bent parallel to the grain. The toughness of bamboo internode strips was approximately 1.5 times higher than that of bamboo node strips, resulting in a significantly increased bending pass rate when utilized as raw materials for curved components. The transverse and longitudinal interwoven vascular bundle structure and the high cellulose crystallinity of bamboo nodes were not conducive to the bending stability of the CBSs. To achieve accurate processing of bamboo curved products with high efficiency and product quality, it is recommended to apply bending load on the side with the lower vascular bundle content in bamboo strips and avoid bamboo nodes at the bending arcs of the components, which can improve the yield by about 50 %. The results are of great significance for the promotion of “Replacing Plastic with Bamboo” and the application of bamboo curved products in furniture, construction, interior decoration, and packaging.