Bamboo Self-Bonding\nComposites with Superior Water\nResistance and Mechanical Performance Prepared with High-Consistency\nMechano-Enzymatic Pretreated Bamboo Powders

The development of bamboo self-bonding composites (BSBC)\nhas gained\ngrowing momentum due to its formaldehyde-free nature and environmental\nfriendliness. However, the inferior mechanical properties and poor\nwater resistance of BSBC have hindered their practical applications.\nHere, we manufactured BSBC using bamboo processing residue powders\nas raw materials through high-consistency mechano-enzymatic (HCME)\npretreatment, followed by hot pressing. Microscopic examination revealed\nthat HCME pretreatment facilitated bamboo fiber defibrillation, generating\nsubfibrous branches and fragmented parenchyma cells with increased\nspecific surface areas. The mechanical interlocking structure enabled\nBSBC to achieve a combination of mechanical reinforcement and densification.\nAfter 8 h of HCME pretreatment, the porosity of BSBC was only 3.27%,\nwhich was 57.1% lower than that without pretreatment. BSBC also demonstrated\nsuperior water resistance and mechanical performance. It exhibited\na low thickness swelling rate (5.1%), which is a 50.5% reduction compared\nwith BSBC manufactured without HCME pretreatment. Moreover, BSBC exhibited\nhigh flexural strength (37.8 MPa) and high internal bonding strength\n(1.84 MPa) after 8 h of HCME pretreatment, significantly surpassing\nthe industry standard for furniture-grade medium-density fiberboards.\nEnvironmentally friendly BSBC, based on HCME pretreatment, is anticipated\nto be a promising alternative to traditional fiberboards in the furniture\nindustry.