Fuente: Journal of applied polymer Lugar: RESEARCH ARTICLE Fabrication workflow for bamboo fiber/epoxy composites.

ABSTRACT
This study investigated the impact of different inorganic oxide fillers (CuO, TiO2, Al2O3, and MgO) on the mechanical, physical, and morphological properties of bamboo fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. Bamboo fiber-based composites are sustainable materials valued for their mechanical performance (high specific strength) and renewability. This work provided a comparative performance–sustainability analysis of these specific metal oxide/bamboo systems for engineering applications. To address the research objectives, woven bamboo mats were prepared using a hand-operated weaving technique, followed by a hand lay-up process to fabricate composites with a 1 wt.% filler-dispersed epoxy matrix. Tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness tests were conducted to evaluate mechanical performance, while physical properties were assessed through water absorption, density, and porosity measurements. Among the variants, the MgO reinforced composite significantly outperformed in mechanical tests, especially exhibiting approximately 84.38% and 54.36% improvements in tensile and flexural strength, respectively, and 50% enhancement in impact strength compared to the control sample. This composite also displayed the highest hardness. Additionally, the CuO-incorporated composite consumed less water both at room temperature and in a neutral pH medium. Morphological analysis via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed superior interfacial bonding and uniform filler distribution in the MgO-filled samples, consistent with the observed mechanical gains. Overall, the results indicate that MgO is the most effective inorganic oxide filler for enhancing the mechanical, physical, and morphological properties of bamboo fiber reinforced epoxy composites.