Thermal conductivity of PLA-bamboo fiber composites

'Green' composites were fabricated from poly lactic acid (PLA) and bamboo fibers by using a conventional hot pressing method. The insulating properties of the PLA-bamboo fiber 'green' composites were evaluated by determination of the thermal conductivity, which was measured using a hot-wire method. The thermal conductivity values were compared with theoretical estimations. It was demonstrated that thermal conductivity of PLA-bamboo fiber 'green' composites is smaller than that of conventional composites, such as glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRPs) and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). The thermal conductivity of PLA-bamboo fiber 'green' composites was significantly influenced by their density, and was in fair agreement with theoretical predictions based on Russell's model. The PLA-bamboo fiber composites have low thermal conductivity comparable with that of woods.