A novel strategy for the extraction and preparation of bamboo fiber‐reinforced polypropylene composites

A new type of flexible bamboo fiber (BF) was extracted by using an environmentally friendly solvent‐extraction technique. A series of mats with different mass ratios of BFs and polypropylene (PP) fibers was prepared by nonwoven air paving to improve the distribution of BFs in the PP. PP composites that contain varied BF contents were prepared by hot pressing the mats. The effect of BF loading on the mechanical, thermal, morphological and physical properties of the bamboo‐reinforced modified PP composites was studied. The flexural strength of the composites increases initially, then decreases gradually, and the composite that contained 20% BFs exhibited the highest flexural strength. The impact strength exhibited the opposite trend. Scanning electron microscopy studies of the inner structures of the composites showed that many fibers were removed from the matrix. Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimeter analysis indicated that the thermal stability and melting point of the composites decreased with an increase in BF content. The water absorption and thickness swelling of the composites increased with an increase in BF content because of the hydrophilic hydroxyl groups on the BF surfaces. At last, the mats are molded into two kinds of interiors of cars, indicating that the mats exhibit good molding properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:2178–2186, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers