Bamboo Blocks Research Articles

CCA teachability of slow dried three major bamboo species of Bangladesh

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) teachability tests on full cell pressure impregnated (with 2–3% CCA solution) and slow dried (six months air-drying under cover) bamboo block of three major bamboo species of Bangladesh revealed initial insignificant leaching of CCA within first week and no leaching in next week. Use of low concentration of CCA, release of particle form of CCA due to exposure of bamboo blocks by cutting and presence of water soluble extractives in bamboo might be the causes for initial leaching of CCA.

Studies on the penetration of cooking liquors into bamboo chips

AbstractBamboo is now a major raw material for the Indian pulp and paper industry. The investigations described in this paper concern the improvement in the process of manufacture of pulp from bamboo.One of the greatest difficulties in the production of good‐quality pulp from bamboo at an economic yield lies in its great resistance to the penetration of cooking liquors into the interior of the chips. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyse the resistance to flow of liquids into the interior of bamboo chips by investigating: (i) void space in bamboo blocks, (ii) directional permeability, (iii) the penetrations under forced flow of the liquids, and (iv) the effect of various factors on the rate of penetration. The results have been compared with those from coniferous woods.These investigations show that the void space in blocks of bamboo is much smaller comparatively than in coniferous woods. This void space is not easily accessible to cooking liquors. Most of the mass movement of the liquor takes place through the vessels along the grain and the rest of the structure offers great resistance to penetration.The only effective means of securing complete penetration of blocks of bamboo has been found to be the application of hydrostatic pressure of the order of 100 lb./sq. in. In contrast with this, for coniferous woods the evacuation treatment is far more effective than pressure. It is suggested that application of pressure during the early stages of the process of digestion would help to overcome most of the difficulties encountered in the pulping of bamboo.