Nonconventional Ca(OH)₂ Treatment of Bamboo for the Reinforcement of Cement Composites

This study compares the structural and morphological changes in Guadua angustifolia Kunth (GAK) fiber prepared in three different ways (chips, barkless and crushed) when non-conventional alkaline treatment is applied. Moreover, it shows the improvement of mechanical properties of cement composites reinforced with these treated fibers. The three different preparations of Guadua were treated with a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide (5%) at 125 °C and 1.25 kPa for 3 h to remove non-cellulosic compounds. Then, their chemical, morphological, and structural properties were examined. The fibers exhibiting the higher delignification rate were selected to prepare cement composite boards, whose mechanical properties were successively compared with those of composites reinforced with untreated G. angustifolia fibers. The water/cement ratios of the cement mixed with the Ca(OH)₂-treated and the untreated fibers were, respectively, around 0.3 and 0.25. The flexural strength and toughness of the two composites were evaluated after 7, 28, and 90 days of curing. The calcium hydroxide treatment showed higher efficiency in removing non-cellulosic materials when performed on crushed bamboo; moreover, the mechanical properties of the composites reinforced with the treated fibers were higher than those mixed with the untreated ones. After 90 days of curing, the flexural strength increased by around 40% and the toughness became three times higher (p < 0.05). The mechanical improvement by the Ca(OH)₂ treatment of G. angustifolia fibers demonstrates its potential for the fabrication of cement composites.