Multifunctional Bamboo Based Materials Empowered by Multiscale Hierarchical Structures—A Critical Review

The global pursuit of carbon neutrality and sustainable alternatives to conventional materials has spurred intense interest in renewable biomass resources. Among these, bamboo stands out as a promising candidate due to its exceptional mechanical properties, rapid growth, and remarkable carbon sequestration capacity. This review critically examines the potential of bamboo-derived materials for advanced multifunctional applications, focusing on tailoring their hierarchical structures and chemical versatility to achieve diverse performance characteristics. First, an in-depth analysis is provided of the structure-property-function relationships of different bamboo components across multiple length scales, emphasizing the importance of species-specific variations and innovative processing techniques. Second, recent advancements in the multifunctional properties of bamboo-derived materials are highlighted for their potential applications in addressing critical societal challenges, including energy storage, flexible electronics, and biomedicine. Finally, the limitations of current approaches, including scalability and long-term stability, are discussed and future research directions are proposed to unlock the full potential of sustainable bamboo materials for a circular bioeconomy.