Comparative study of the physical and mechanical properties of Bambusa vulgaris fibers from Cameroon for application to hybrid composite materials

Aircraft designers have been looking for light-weight and robustness from natural fibers since the earlier times. To address this concern, scientists are currently working together on the bamboo long fiber reinforced bio-based matrix composite (BAMCO) project. This study focused on Bambusa vulgaris, a dominant bamboo species in Cameroon, to evaluate its potential for use in airline industries. The aim of the study is to determine the age at which Bambusa vulgaris fibers have the best mechanical and thermal properties for the manufacture of hybrid composites applied to aeronautics and aerospace. B. vulgaris plants aged 1-3 years, 4-5 years and 7 years were characterized, by submitting specimens to several tests: 1) density measurement, 2) tensile tests, 3) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 4) Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 5) thermal conductivity, 6) thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 7) specific heat capacity measurement, 8) dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and 9) ILSS test. A comparative study of the properties of other natural fiber tested in the aeronautic and aerospace industries revealed that, 7-year-old B. vulgaris has good properties for the airline industry. This study provides evidence that a 7-year-old B. vulgaris plant has a potentially important role in aeronautical and aerospace composite materials.