Bamboo-inspired 3D printed continuous fiber-reinforced vascular composites

This study leverages the inspiration from bamboo and the design freedom of 3D printing to develop a novel continuous fiber-reinforced vascular composite. After analyzing the microstructural characteristics of bamboo vascular bundles, a fiber distribution pattern was derived and further implemented using a hollow channel pre-placement strategy in conjunction with 3D printing technology. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray micro-computed tomography were employed to analyze the fiber and hole distribution characteristics. Charpy impact tests demonstrated that bamboo-inspired vascular composites exhibited enhanced specific impact strength compared to traditional fiber arrangement patterns, effectively dissipating more impact energy due to complex fracture modes. These findings suggest that bamboo-inspired design and 3D printing can be used to create advanced composite materials with improved mechanical performance.