Improving the Mechanical Properties and Ultraviolet Aging Resistance of Bamboo‐Based Fiber Composites Using Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bamboo‐based fiber composites (BFCs) possess advantageous properties such as being lightweight and renewable; however, their inherent susceptibility to moisture absorption and photoaging limits broader applications. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) modified with a combination of silane coupling agent KH560 and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane were employed to functionalize bamboo fibers. Epoxy resin served as the binder, and novel BFCs were fabricated via a hot‐press densification process. The results indicated that modified TiO 2 NPs significantly enhanced the comprehensive properties of BFCs by constructing a nanoscale rough surface and forming an organosilicon network. Using 2 wt% of modified TiO 2 NPs resulted in increases of 511.17% and 219.52% in the tensile and flexural strength, respectively, with the final values reaching 336.45 and 491.81 MPa. The water contact angle was 104°, representing a 185.71% increase compared with that of natural bamboo. The thermal stability of BFCs was also 5.38°C higher than that of natural bamboo. After UV aging, the color stability of BFCs decreased to 7.55. The results show that this modification strategy significantly enhanced the mechanical properties and weather resistance of BFCs, demonstrating its promising potential for outdoor architectural applications, such as wall panels and flooring.