Bamboo biomass: Various studies and potential applications for value-added products

Abstract

Bamboo being an industrial crop belongs to the family Gramineae, subfamily Bambusiodeae, and grows naturally in many countries including Malaysia. The cultivation of bamboo for commercial purposes in Malaysia is rather limited due to problems in acquiring suitable land for planting, although it has been widely recognized for excellent production of fiber biomass globally. It produces long fibers derived from outer fibrous bark, and has great potential in the biocomposite industries. In other countries like China and Japan, the plantation of bamboo is common and utilized for many purposes including the production of fiber. Usually, the extraction of fiber from bamboo is done in 3-4-year-old bamboo plantations. Fiber is produced through alkaline hydrolysis and multiphase bleaching processes of bamboo stems and leaves followed by chemical treatments of starchy pulp generated during the process. Bamboo fiber has micro-gaps, which makes it softer than cotton and increases its capability to absorb moisture. Other interesting properties of bamboo fiber are highly elastic, bacteriostatic, antifungal, antibacterial, hypoallergenic, hydroscopic, natural deodorizer, resistant to ultraviolet light, and biodegradable which render the bamboo fiber products environmentally friendly. Furthermore, it is highly durable, stable, and tough and has substantial tensile strength. Due to its versatile properties, bamboo fibers are used mainly in textile industry for making garments, bathrobes, and towels. The plants possess a wider range of adaptation to diverse climatic and soil conditions, and due to its rich cellulose content compared to other plants it has been widely utilized for the production of many products. Thus, it is important to gather and document useful information of its properties and a wide range of products it produces.