Bamboo: Technology Innovations Towards Value-added Applications: A Review

Bamboo is remarkably varied and adaptable with a wide range of anatomical, structural and chemical properties. All of the bamboo plant, from rhizome and root to culm and leaves is utilized-there are nearly two thousand recorded uses. Bamboo has gained considerable importance recently as a structural material. Bamboo can substitute not only wood, but also plastics, steel, cement and other materials in structural and product applications through improvements in processing technologies, product innovation with the application of scientific and engineering skills. The sector has vast potential for generating income and employment, especially in the rural areas. Towards promoting the usage of bamboo into value-added products, the National Mission on Bamboo Applications has been a major initiative by the Govt. of India under the 10th five year Plan. Primary processing of bamboo i.e. cross-cutting, splitting, knot removal, sliver making, strip making and round stick making may be carried out at rural cluster zones. After primary processing of bamboo, a lot of waste is generated. This waste may be effectively converted into value-added products such as activated carbon, charcoal etc. Efforts are underway for converting bamboo into usable form of energy by gasification. These gases can replace diesel up to 70% thus catering to energy needs (Tripathi, 2008). The by-products of biomass gasification in the forms of volatiles are rich sources of chemicals. The conversion of bamboo waste into charcoal is also being explored for catering to rural energy needs. The low-cost technology could be taken up for commercial production particularly in rural areas. This review paper discusses in detail about the properties and application of bamboo as wood, primary and secondary processing of bamboo and preservation of bamboo. The paper brings out technology overview of the products and associated business opportunities.