Amylopectin-mediated interfacial rebonding enhances strength and damage tolerance of densified bamboo
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Densification offers an effective route to transform fast-growing bamboo into high-performance structural materials. However, chemical removal of lignin and hemicellulose can disrupt native intercellular bonding, leaving weak internal interfaces that limit mechanical performance and durability. Here, we introduce gelatinized glutinous rice starch as an amylopectin-rich bioadhesive to rebond weak interfaces in densified bamboo. Starch impregnation followed by hot pressing fills residual microvoids and promotes hydrogen-bond-mediated interactions between adjacent lignocellulosic domains, forming a more continuous starch-mediated interphase. The resulting rebonded densified bamboo achieves tensile and flexural strengths of 332 and 356 MPa, 30% and 20% higher than those of densified bamboo, respectively, together with a 37% increase in Vickers hardness. Notably, the reconstructed interphase also reduces the average coefficient of friction to 0.09 and improves water tolerance, with 29% lower water absorption than DB after 72 h immersion and 91.6% flexural-strength retention after five wet-dry cycles. Digital image correlation, fractography and acoustic emission analysis further reveal delayed strain localization, reduced interfacial separation and more distributed damage evolution during bending. This work establishes gelatinized glutinous rice starch as a natural bioadhesive for interfacial rebonding in resin-free densified bamboo, offering a sustainable route to high-strength, durable bamboo structural materials.
Authors: Ziyu Ba, Yuchen Ben, Hongyun Luo, Jie Cui, Zhaoliang Guo
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,640
OpenAlex ID: W7222881611