Cellulose-Based Materials

Bamboo, a fast-growing grass, has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel and concrete. The unique properties of bamboo come from the natural composite structure of fibers that consists mainly of cellulose microfibrils in a matrix of intertwined hemicellulose and lignin called lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC). We have used theoretical, experimental, and numerical techniques across the scales to understand the physical phenomena associated with the mechanical and thermal properties of biological materials such as bamboo.