Influence of dry etching plasma treatment energy on the Young’s modulus and surface appearance of bamboo fibres

Abstract

We analyzed the effect of dry etching plasma treatment on the Young’s modulus and surface appearance of Guadua angustifolia fibres. The fibres were bombarded with argon ions at different energy levels and exposure times through a dry etching method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that ion bombardment modified the fibre surface morphology, increasing roughness. Using higher plasma energy with shorter exposure times produced similar effects to those obtained with lower energy and longer exposure times. The increase in Young’s modulus was directly related to changes in the fibre’s surface structure. These findings confirm the influence of plasma treatment on the mechanical properties of the fibres and open new possibilities for their application as a reinforcement in composite materials.