Influence of a Thermal Treatment on the Tensile Strength and Equilibrium Moisture Content of Bamboo (Guadua angustifolia Kunth)

Thermal treatments applied to lignocellulosic materials were found to induce internal chemical reactions, which modified the physical and mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the material. A 3-year-old basal section of bamboo (Guadua angustifolia Kunth), with no nodes and no skin, was subjected to a thermal treatment at temperatures which ranged from 160 to 200 degrees C for 1 to 4 h. The tensile stiffness showed a slight increase with temperature and time, while the tensile strength showed a notable increase at 160 degrees C for 2 h. There was a 5% difference in the equilibrium moisture content at 80% relative humidity between the untreated samples and the 200 degrees C, 4 h treatment.