SBIR Phase I: Feasibility of US Grown Bamboo Fiber Processing for Use in Reinforced Composites

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will address the three major factors currently limiting the global production of bamboo fibers for composites. First, all natural fibers absorb water from the air and direct contact from the environment. Second, the strength of natural fiber composites is less than that of composites reinforced with glass fibers. Part of this reduced strength is a result of the poor bonding between the fiber and the resin matrix. The labor-intensive raw material processing requirements constitute a third factor which inhibits the US in particular from developing a bamboo industry. All three of these issues will be addressed through a novel fiber extraction and treatment process. Development of bamboo fiber reinforcements will advance the state-of-the-art for plant fiber products. Additional significant innovative aspects of this process lie in the assessment of a bamboo species capable of being grown in the US, automation of raw bamboo processing, utilization of waste products for neutralization of treatment wastewater and implementation of a fully optimized multi-step material functionalization process. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be an increased usage of sustainable materials, increased revenue for US agriculture, increased domestic and international sales of a new and innovative product line, and additional jobs in support of research, manufacturing, and sales of bamboo fiber-reinforced composites. Bamboo in particular can provide manufacturers with a reduced-cost reinforcing material that has similar specific mechanical properties to fiberglass. An untapped market exists for the use of Bamboo fibers as reinforcements in compounded thermoplastics and as fiber reinforcement material in thermoset composites. The development of a novel processing technique will enable the team to capitalize on this market by supplying products which can compete with traditional fiberglass. This process will support the birth of an entirely new industry that expands US agriculture and encourages global distribution of US-manufactured, environmentally friendly products. Moreover, increases in Bamboo cultivation as result of these new products will help mitigate adverse environmental impacts and improve public health. This will be done by the inherent sequestration of carbon dioxide in the plant growth cycle, and a reduction in the pollution associated with the use of high-energy fiber processing techniques.