Distribution Analysis of Fiber into Bamboo Culms - A Natural Fiber for Being Used as Reinforcement

Abstract

Nowadays, construction industry has ventured with eco-friendly materials. Into these new options there exists a set of materials known as cement composites whose reinforcement could be made with natural fibers. A fast-growth plant native from Colombia known as Guadua, a kind of Bamboo, has environmental and mechanical advantages over conventional construction materials. The use of a Bamboo as whole is important, but the use of their fibers has gained importance due to their potential to use as reinforcement into cement composite. This paper presents a study about characteristics of the fiber distribution into two Guadua´s varieties: Guadua Angustifolia Kunth Rayada Amarilla and Guadua Angustifolia Kunth Macana. They were examined under scanning electronic microscopy, Xray diffraction and the Association Official Agricultural Chemist -2000 methodology to get quantitative information about the insoluble fiber content. Findings indicated that the insoluble fiber distribution is not homogenous between the internal and external layer of bamboo culm; the fiber content inside of Guadua culms increases from inner to outer layer. X-ray patterns showed that the insoluble fiber has a preferential crystalline orientation in relation to the growth direction of bam boo. The combination of scanning electronic microscope and X-ray diffraction offers important information about the localization and morphologic distribution of components inside bamboo culms.