Study on the Swelling Characteristics of Bamboo Based on Its Graded Hierarchical Structure

Abstract

To understand the swelling characteristics of bamboo under its gradient structure, different parts of bamboo specimens have been soaked in solutions of different electrolytes. The results showed that the swelling extent of bamboo in solution is mainly influenced by chemical activity and molecular dimension of the solute. The dimensional increase in bamboo after swelling is mainly observed in the tangential and radial direction, and the largest dimensional increase as a result of swelling occurred in intermediary bamboo. High-concentration strong electrolytes will cause a certain degree of recrystallization in the bamboo specimen, especially in intermediary bamboo, resulting in an increase in its mass. In summary, the conclusion is that the removal of wax and tabaxir before swelling and the avoidance of using strong electrolytes as swelling solutions tend to improve the efficiency of swelling bamboo.