POTENTIAL OF TWO BAMBOO SPECIES (Bambusa vulgaris and Dendrocalamus giganteus) FOR PRODUCING MULTILAMINATE
TYPE ENGINEERED FLOORS
Name: MARCOS ALVES NICACIO
Publication date: 29/05/2024
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ANA KARLA FREIRE DE OLIVEIRA | Examinador Externo |
| FLÁVIA MARIA SILVA BRITO | Examinador Externo |
| JUAREZ BENIGNO PAES | Presidente |
| PEDRO GUTEMBERG DE ALCANTARA SEGUNDINHO | Examinador Interno |
| YONNY MARTINEZ LOPEZ | Examinador Externo |
Summary: Bamboo, used for years in Asia for various applications, is underutilized and undervalued in Brazil, often associated with temporary constructions and poverty. This has deterred financial investments and the interest of the scientific community in exploring its potential in various projects. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of two bamboo species, Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl. and Dendrocalamus giganteus Munro, for engineered flooring production. Thermal treatments were conducted at temperatures of 140°C, 170°C, and 200°C, along with chemical treatments using boric acid, sodium borate, and sodium octaborate. Colorimetric analyses were performed using the Commission Internacionale L'Eclairage - CIE L* a* b* system (L* - light-dark, a* - redgreen, and b* - yellow-blue), along with tests involving drywood and subterranean termites, and simulations of flooring use, including abrasion, rolling load, and impact tests. Thermal treatments resulted in significant changes in the properties of B. vulgaris and D. giganteus bamboos, including a reduction in mass loss and increases in ash and
total extractive contents, particularly at 200°C. Additionally, there was progressive darkening of the material and alterations in color coordinates (L*, a*, b*), with more pronounced effects at higher temperatures. However, thermal treatments proved less
effective that those chemical treatments against termites. In flooring simulation tests, thermal treatments yielded lower values overall, except in abrasion tests where most of them performed comparably to the durability standard of tropical hardwood floors. In conclusion, the engineered bamboo flooring tested presents viable alternatives for residential use, except for the 200°C thermal treatment.
Keywords: Chemical and thermal treatments, physical characterization, colorimetry; biological test, simulation tests on floors.
