Preparation and Behavior of Bamboo Fiber-Reinforced Polydimethylsiloxane Composite Foams during Compression

This study investigates the mechanical properties of bamboo fiber-reinforced polydimethylsiloxane (BF-PDMS) foams with up to 3.4% (by mass) fiber during compression. Pristine PDMS foams and BF-PDMS composite foams were fabricated using a sugar leaching method. Compression test results of pristine PDMS and BF-PDMS composite foams display plateau and densification regions. Predictions of a modified phenomenological foam (PF) model based on Maxwell and Kelvin–Voight models are in good agreement with compression test results. Stiffness coefficients were extracted by fitting results of compression tests to the modified PF model. Spring and densification coefficients of BF-PDMS composite foams are 2.5- and 15-fold greater than those of pristine PDMS foams, respectively. Strains corresponding to onset of densification computed using extracted coefficients were 35% and 25% for pristine PDMS foams and BF-PDMS composite foams, respectively. Compressing foams at 6.0 and 0.5 mm/min results in highest and lowest compressive stress, respectively. Insights from this study are useful in many areas such as environmental protection, pressure sensing, and energy where PDMS composite foams will find applications.