Bamboo heat treatments and their effects on bamboo properties

Abstract

Bamboo has been widely used in construction, furniture and other fields because of its fast growth, renewability and great mechanical performances. However, due to the hydrophilicity and nutrient richness, bamboo has poor dimensional stability and lower natural resistance to mold, fungi, and insects. Heat treatment can effectively improve the performance of bamboo and the quality of bamboo products. Different heat treatments have been reported and used in literature and industry. However, few summary reports on bamboo heat treatment were found. It is of great significance to summarize the bamboo heat treatment processes and analyze the impact of heat treatment on bamboo properties for inspiring researchers and entrepreneurs to develop the technologies. In this study, different bamboo heat treatments were summarized and classified according to the type of heat transfer media. And the properties of heat-treated bamboo including micro-structure, physical properties, mechanical properties, chemical properties, and the anti-mildew property were discussed.