Natural bamboo is chemically treated to remove at least some lignin therefrom. As a result, the bamboo becomes more porous and less rigid, while otherwise retaining the aligned microstructure of bamboo fibers and constituent cellulose nanofibers. In some embodiments, the treated bamboo can then be pressed such that the lumina therein at least partially collapse, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the bamboo among other properties. In some embodiments, the treated bamboo can be infiltrated with a polymer or polymer precursor, and/or have non-native particles added to surfaces thereof to tailor properties of the resulting bamboo structure. By further modifying, manipulating, or machining the treated bamboo, it can be adapted to various applications.

Disclosed are a bamboo with single-sided densification on a bamboo inner layer, and a preparation method and use thereof. The method includes: placing the bamboo inner layer of the bamboo in an impregnation solution, and conducting an impregnation treatment to obtain an impregnated bamboo, wherein the impregnation solution includes water or a flame retardant solution; subjecting a resulting bamboo inner layer of the impregnated bamboo to a preheating and softening treatment to obtain a preheated and softened bamboo; maintaining a temperature for the preheating and softening treatment, while subjecting the preheated and softened bamboo to pressurization and compression to densify the bamboo to a target thickness, to obtain a compressed bamboo; and simultaneously subjecting a resulting bamboo inner layer and a bamboo outer layer of the compressed bamboo to a hot pressing and shaping treatment, and subjecting a resulting bamboo to cooling and depressurizing in sequence.

Methods and systems for self-flowing treatment of wood, bamboo or other porous materials do not require external pressure or complicated equipment. Treatment liquid flows through these porous materials through use of capillary action, the use of absorbent sheets, and differences in pressure. The treatment solution is more evenly dispersed throughout the materials.

Natural bamboo is chemically treated to remove at least some lignin therefrom. As a result, the bamboo becomes more porous and less rigid, while otherwise retaining the aligned microstructure of bamboo fibers and constituent cellulose nanofibers. In some embodiments, the treated bamboo can then be pressed such that the lumina therein at least partially collapse, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the bamboo among other properties. In some embodiments, the treated bamboo can be infiltrated with a polymer or polymer precursor, and/or have non-native particles added to surfaces thereof to tailor properties of the resulting bamboo structure. By further modifying, manipulating, or machining the treated bamboo, it can be adapted to various applications.