A New Type of Nanocomposite Based on Bamboo Parenchymal Cells

Abstract In this study, a kind of nanocomposite was prepared using nanocellulose fibril (NCF) aerogels derived from processed bamboo residues composed mainly of parenchymal cells. NCF aerogels were prepared using an ultrasonication method with freeze-drying. The freeze-dried aerogels were swollen with water and then impregnated with aqueous phenol-formaldehyde resin solutions of varying concentrations. The mechanical properties of nanocomposites with 10 percent (by weight) resin exhibited a tensile strength, tensile modulus, and tensile toughness of 150 MPa, 5 GPa, and 17 MJ/m3, respectively. Compared with NCF aerogels, the composites demonstrated lower hygroscopicity at high humidity. This combination of toughness, minimal moisture absorption, and other properties is of technical interest for practical applications.