SBIR Phase I: Bamboo-based Composite Filaments for Structural Purposes

The broader impact/commercial potential of this SBIR Phase I project is to promote environmentally sustainable construction. By promoting the use of bamboo in construction industry via offering a sustainable alternative to 3D printed concrete, this project intends to reduce industry's contribution towards future carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Current trends show that 3D printing could replace a large share of construction industry due to high efficiency, low labor, and reduced material requirements. This project would speed that transition with its sustainable alternative to concrete. Since bamboo can absorb as much as 12 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year, compared to 6.4 tons for a mature forest, broader use of bamboo in the construction industry benefits the environment. This SBIR Phase I project is focused on creating a structural bamboo filament that could replace 3D printer filaments made of concrete. This project will use bamboo for a rival filament to concrete to be used in structural applications. Non-structural wood filaments already exist and are mixed with Polylactic-Acid (PLA). This project plans to incorporate some of those techniques in its design by breaking the bamboo into rectangular, dust-like particles for combination with a soy-based adhesive and PLA. The most challenging problems anticipated in this project are optimizing that glue ratio to maximize spread properties and ultimate strength, and orienting the anisotropic bamboo particles during the deposition. The project aims to produce a bamboo filament that maintains similar properties to concrete filaments in terms of strength and durability by the end of Phase I. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.