Highly efficient preparation of bamboo scrimber: drying process optimization of bamboo bundles and its effect on the properties of bamboo scrimber

Exploring an adequate drying process with a high drying rate and low drying energy consumption for bamboo bundles can help promote the large-scale production of bamboo scrimber. For this purpose, the drying process of bamboo bundles before resin impregnation and its impact on the physical and mechanical properties of the bamboo scrimber were investigated in this study. The results showed that the energy consumed in the two-step drying treatment of bamboo bundles was reduced by 33%, 30%, 13%, 23%, and 29%, respectively, compared with that consumed in the constant temperature drying treatment at 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 °C. Regardless of the drying process applied in this work, the dimensional stability, bending strength and modulus of elasticity, and chemical composition of the bamboo scrimber fabricated from the dried bamboo bundles did not change significantly. Thus, the two-step drying process presented in this study holds significant potential for producing bamboo scrimber in a highly efficient and energy-saving way.