Engineering the surface properties of bamboo scrimber to enhance the gluing properties

Abstract The adhesive ability of bamboo scrimber is critical for its use in large‐scale engineering structures. Cold‐pressed bamboo scrimber with varying sanding mesh and density was made and then bonded with polyurethane resin. The adhesive was concentrated on the surface, assisting the anchoring into the material surface. The shear strength and immersion peel strength are studied as parameters to determine the glue qualities. The optimum gluing characteristics were obtained using a 120 grit sandpaper and a density of 1.15 g/cm³. The results indicated that at a density of 1.15 g/cm³, the gluing characteristics rose initially and subsequently dropped as the number of sanding meshes increased. The bonding strength improved with increasing density when 120‐mesh sanding was used. With increasing density, the bamboo fiber distribution inside the material got more compact, while the resin dispersion became more uniform. Thus, the surface porosity and roughness were decreased.