The advancement in science and technology has led to luffa sponge (LS) being widely used as a natural material in industrial application because of its polyporous structure and light texture. To enhance the utility of LS fibers as the reinforcement of lightweight composite materials, the current study investigates their water absorption, mechanical properties, anatomical characteristics and thermal performance. Hence, moisture regain and tensile properties of LS fiber bundles were measured in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards while their structural characteristics were investigated via microscopic observation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology and fractured surface of fiber bundles. The test results show that the special structure where the phloem tissues degenerate to cavities had a significant influence on the mechanical properties of LS fiber bundles. Additionally, the transverse sectional area occupied by fibers in a fiber bundle (S_F), wall thickness, ratio of wall to lumen of fiber cell, and crystallinity of cellulose had substantial impact on the mechanical properties of LS fiber bundles. Furthermore, the density of fiber bundles of LS ranged within 385.46–468.70 kg/m³, significantly less than that of jute (1360.40 kg/m³) and Arenga engleri (950.20 kg/m³). However, LS fiber bundles demonstrated superior specific modulus than Arenga engleri.

Luffa sponge (LS) is a resourceful material with fibro-vascular reticulated structure and extremely high porosity, which make it a potential candidate for manufacturing light mattress. In this study, two types of LS columns, namely high-density (HD) and low-density (LD) columns, were investigated as materials for filling the mattress. The results showed that the compressive strength of HD LS columns was significantly greater than that of LD LS columns. However, the densification strains of the two types of LS column were both in the range of 0.6 to 0.7. Besides, HD LS columns separately pressed to the smooth plateau region and the initial densification region exhibited a partial recovery of instant height when they were unloaded, and then both of them showed no more than 4.2% of height recovery after being allowed to rest at a constant temperature and humidity for 24 h. In contrast, when LD LS columns were compressed to the smooth plateau region, the height recovery was less than 1.62% compared to when they were pressed to the initial densification region, and that was more than 15.62%. Similar to other plant fibers used as mattress fillers, the two types of LS columns also showed good water absorption capacity—both of them could absorb water from as much as 2.07 to 3.45 times their own weight. At the same time, the two types of LS columns also showed good water desorption. The water desorption ratio of HD and LD LS columns separately reached 76.86 and 91.44%, respectively, after being let rest at a constant temperature and humidity for 13 h.

The development of furniture cushioning materials that combine excellent mechanical properties with sensing capabilities is essential for non‐intrusive, long‐term health monitoring. This study presents a multifunctional conductive sponge (MAPU) that synergistically integrates the macroscale mechanical support of a polyurethane (PU) sponge with the microscale sensing characteristics of aerogels through bionic multiscale structural design. Biomass‐derived graphite nanoflakes serve as the conductive units to in situ construct a 3D interpenetrating aerogel network on the PU sponge skeleton. This unique heterogeneous structure retains the flexibility and elasticity of PU sponge while providing exceptional piezoresistive sensing performance, including high sensitivity (0.821 kPa ⁻¹ in the 0–53 kPa range), a wide response range (up to 242 kPa), fast response time (≤ 50 ms), and outstanding cycling stability (> 30 000 cycles). Equally important, MAPU also demonstrates washability, flame retardancy, breathability, and sound absorption, making it practical for household applications. An intelligent mattress composed of a MAPU sensor array enables real‐time monitoring and precise recognition of sleep postures, along with bedsore risk alerts. This work offers a high‐performance, multifunctional, and high‐safety core material solution for advanced smart home technologies and continuous health monitoring systems.

Board furniture’s performance and scientific design are making it popular. Research on simplifying furniture joints reduces design cycles and costs and improves structural safety. In this article, using a cantilever beam to calculate deflection theoretically simplifies the L-shaped component model and yields a joint elastic modulus formula. Finite element analysis (FEA) confirms the effectiveness of this simplified model by comparing its results with experimental data. In simplified components, the joint elastic modulus increases with length (l₂) and stabilizes at l₂/b ≥ 6 (b is the board’s thickness). The variation pattern of the joint elastic modulus equals that of the stiffness, proving its usefulness in assessing component deformation resistance. Furthermore, the component strength and stiffness are also affected by the screw spacing and connector type. In particular, the connectors type affects bamboo-oriented strand board (BOSB) component performance more than wood-oriented strand board (WOSB). Compared to WOSB, BOSB components have superior strength and stiffness and are more stable. The recommended screw spacing for L-shaped components is 48 mm. BOSB components fixed with two-in-one and metal nuts utilizing threads embedded in the board have better strength and stiffness, while for WOSB components, nylon nuts, and wooden dowel pins are more appropriate for securing.

This study examines how screw diameter, penetration length, and aperture ratio affect self-tapping screw (STS) withdrawal resistance in bamboo/wood-oriented strand board (WOSB/BOSB) to increase bamboo use in construction and furniture. It proposes a widely applicable empirical formula for calculating withdrawal resistance. With its high specific strength, uniformity, and STS withdrawal resistance, BOSB is a promising material for engineering and furniture applications, according to experiments. Screw diameter, penetration length, and aperture ratio significantly influence the STS’s withdrawal behavior. Among these, screw diameter and penetration length are the primary factors affecting screw withdrawal behavior. As the two factors increase, withdrawal resistance increases linearly. However, the relationship between withdrawal resistance and aperture ratio is non-linear, initially increasing and then decreasing as the aperture ratio increases. With an optimal mounting aperture ratio, the STS withdrawal forces in the BOSB face and edge are approximately 3 and 3.5 times greater than in WOSB, respectively. Traditional formulas for withdrawal resistance were refined based on the fitting equation of aperture ratio and withdrawal force, significantly reducing the relative errors of the modified formulas. Notably, the withdrawal resistance results for STSs calculated using the refined equation based on the CCMC 13677-R standard achieve an accuracy of up to 93%.