IIT Guwahati's Bamboo Composite Set to Revolutionize Auto Interiors

In a major step towards sustainable innovation, IIT Guwahati has developed a bamboo composite material that could change the course of automotive interiors.

The researchers at IIT Guwahati utilized a fast growing bamboo species native to Northeast India called Bambusa tulda, to develop an eco-friendly, high-performance alternative to the industry's traditional plastic components in vehicles.

The bamboo composite material is a blend of natural bamboo fibers and biodegradable polymers; with improved mechanical strength, thermal stability, and limited moisture absorption, that makes it suitable for automotive applications such as dashboards, door panels, and seat backs. It meets global sustainability requirements while aligning with the Indian government’s initiative to develop sustainable manufacturing processes under the “Make in India” initiative.

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The IIT team evaluated four different formulations and treated bamboo with alkali, which enhanced compatibility between the bamboo and the polymer. The research team carried out a complete set of tests across 17 parameters - tensile strength, thermal resistance, cost considerations - and came up with bio-based epoxy formulation, FormuLite, for the overall maximum performance. Not only is FormuLite technically better, it is competitively priced at ₹4,300 per kg which is interesting for large scale industry utilization.

The subsequent step consists of a complete life-cycle analysis and prepares to scale to manufacturing processes such as compression molding and resin transfer. Given the local sourcing, and environmentally friendly design of the bamboo composite, it is set to be a revolutionary development not only for the automobile industry but for any industry utilizing sustainable, high performance materials.