SUSTAINABLE COMPOSITE MATERIAL: USE OF BAMBOO LEAVES IN POLYMERIC MATRIX

Abstract

Brazil is a country with a wide biodiversity. However, it is verified that such an abundance is often not taken advantage of as it could, in this sense, the replacement of raw materials and products of non-renewable origin has been widely accepted from the perspective of a sustainable ideal. Therefore, this work aims to explore and analyze the mechanical properties of a natural and renewable resource, limbs obtained from bamboo leaves, which were used as collateral for polyester matrix composite materials. Tensile strength tests were carried out, according to the ASTM D 638M standard for the mechanical characterization of the manufactured compounds. Then, the results were compared with existing values in the literature, to verify if these were strong and appreciable results, analyzing their economic, social, and engineering viability. The composite produced presented inferior properties to the satisfactory ones in the literature, however with perspectives of improvement.