The effect of silane treatments on the water absorption properties of mercerized bamboo matting reinforced polyester composites were investigated. Treatments using c-Aminopropyltriethoxy silane, 3-trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate, Vinyltris(2-methoxyethoxy)silane, Bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl] tetrasulfide, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane and n-Octyltrimethoxy silane were carried out to improve the water resistant property of the bamboo fibers. Water absorption in the composites was studied by long-term immersion and 2 h boiling in distilled water. The process of absorption of water was found to follow the kinetics and mechanism described by Fick's theory. Alkali treatment results in reduction of water absorption from 51% to 35%. Further reduction is observed with silane treatment. Water absorption varies between 19% and 44%, the minimum being for aminopropyl triethoxy silane-treated composites.

The effect of silane treatment on the water absorption properties of bamboo matting reinforced epoxy composites were investigated. Experiments using c-aminopropyltriethoxy silane, 3-trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate, vinyltris(2-methoxyethoxy)silane, bis [3-(triethoxysilyl) propyl]tetrasulfide, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, and n-octyltrimethoxysilane were carried out to improve the water resistant property of the bamboo fiber composites. Water absorption in the composites was studied by long term immersion and 2 h boiling in distilled water. The process of absorption of water was found to follow the kinetics and mechanism described by Fick's theory. Alkali treatment results in reduction of water absorption from 41 to 26%. Further reduction is observed with silane treatment. Water absorption varies between 21 and 24%, minimum being for aminopropyltriethoxysilane treated composite.

Chemical surface modification of woven bamboo mat with maleic anhydride, permanganate, benzoyl chloride, benzyl chloride, and pre-impregnation were carried out. These modified fibers were used as reinforcements in epoxy and polyester matrices. The effects of fiber modification on the tensile, flexural, impact, and water absorption properties of the composites were investigated. Flexural properties of maleic anhydride treated bamboo polyester composites improved by nearly 50%. The tensile strength and modulus of permanganate-treated bamboo polyester composite increased by 58% and 118%. The tensile strength and modulus of benzoylated bamboo fiber polyester composite improved by 71% and 118%, respectively. After benzoylation of the bamboo fiber, the water absorption is 16% for the bamboo-epoxy composite compared to 41% by untreated bamboo-epoxy composite. The water absorption by benzylated bamboo reinforced polyester composite was 16.8% compared to 51% by untreated bamboo-polyester composite. Pre-impregnation improved the mechanical and water resistant properties of both epoxy and polyester-based composites. SEM investigations of the tensile fracture surfaces show that modifications improved the fiber—matrix interaction.

In the present study epoxy and polyester resins have been reinforced with physically modified (alkali treated) bamboos strip matting to develop bamboo fiber-reinforced plastic (BFRP) composites. Bamboo mats were treated with 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% concentration of NaOH in distilled water for 30 min at 20°C (room temperature). The mechanical properties of the alkali treated bamboo composites (tensile strength, elastic modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, toughness, and impact strength) were determined. Optimum results have been obtained by bamboos treated with 5% NaOH solutions. Higher percentages of NaOH concentration result in poor mechanical properties of composites. The morphology analysis reveals that the bamboo treated with 5% NaOH exhibited better compatibility with the epoxy and polyester resins than the untreated bamboo. The improvements in tensile strength and flexural strength were higher by 55.15 and 43.92%, respectively, for composites with epoxy matrix. In the case of alkali-treated composites with polyester matrix, the tensile strength and flexural strength were higher by 69 and 59%, respectively.

Bamboo matting-reinforced epoxy composites were fabricated. Untreated and alkali-treated bamboo matting were treated with different silanes. The mechanical properties (tensile strength, elastic modulus, flexural strength and flexural modulus) were determined. It was found that tensile strength of composite reinforced with only silane-treated fibers is comparable to that of composite with untreated fiber. The elastic modulus of composite with untreated fiber is better than the silane-treated composites. In the case of mercerized fiber treated with silanes, there is reduction in the tensile strength compared with only alkali-treated bamboo-reinforced composite.