Sustainable high-performance materials: The role of bamboo and glass fibers in hybrid composites

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical and structural properties of bamboo-glass fiber hybrid composites with the aim of optimizing strength-to-weight performance for advanced engineering applications. Composites were fabricated using the Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion (VARI) method to ensure uniform resin distribution and reduced void content. Four configurations—bamboo (BBBB), glass (GGGG), and hybrids (BGGB, GBBG)—were analyzed. GGGG exhibited the highest density (1.697 g/cm³) and tensile strength (125.86 MPa), while BBBB demonstrated the lowest density (0.954 g/cm³), highlighting bamboo lightweight advantage. Hybrid composites improved tensile strength by 24–30 % and flexural strength by 16–58 % compared to pure bamboo composites, with BGGB achieving superior tensile performance (87.24 MPa) and GBBG excelling in flexural strength (99.16 MPa). Specific tensile strength showed BGGB as the most efficient (86.39 MPa/g/cm³), followed by GBBG, while specific flexural strength revealed GGGG as the highest (108.76 MPa/g/cm³), with GBBG offering a balanced performance (97.4 MPa/g/cm³). The stacking sequence significantly influenced the performance, with BGGB optimizing the tensile stress distribution and GBBG enhancing the load transfer through glass fibers in the outer layers. Microstructural and FTIR analyses revealed that the hydrophilic and porous nature of bamboo weakened interfacial bonding, while glass fibers formed strong chemical bonds, improving rigidity and load transfer. These findings highlight the potential of bamboo-glass hybrid composites as sustainable, lightweight, and high-performance materials suitable for applications in sports equipment, automotive components, and other advanced engineering applications.