Mechanical　and　tribological　properties　of　phenolic　resin　matrix　composites　reinforced　by　bamboo　fibers,　which　were　pre-treated　with　sodium　hydroxide　(NaOH)　and　post-treated　with　lanthanum　chloride　(LaCl3),　were　characterized　by　hardness,　impact,　microscratch　tests,　friction　and　wear　testers,　and　thermogravimetric　analysis.　Bamboo　fibers　before　and　after　modification　were　characterized　by　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR).　Hemicellulose　and　lignin　of　bamboo　fibers　can　be　dissolved　by　alkaline　or　NaOH　treatment,　resulting　in　a　rough　surface.　The　high　coordination　number　of　rare　earth　atoms　in　LaCl3　solution　enhanced　the　formation　of　chemical　bonds　between　the　hydroxyl　groups　of　bamboo　fibers　and　the　oxygen-containing　groups　on　the　molecular　chain　of　phenolic　resin.　The　hardness　and　impact　strength　of　the　composites　both　firstly　increased　and　then　decreased　with　an　increase　in　LaCl3　concentration　or　soaking　duration　in　LaCl3　solution.　Tribological　performance　(e.g.　high-temperature　friction　coefficient,　wear　rate,　thermogravimetric　loss,　crack　propagation)　of　phenolic　resin　matrix　composites　was　significantly　improved　by　the　treated　bamboo　fibers.　The　optimum　mechanical　and　tribological　properties　of　bamboo　fiber-reinforced　phenolic　resin　matrix　composites　were　achieved　under　the　conditions　of　LaCl3　concentration　of　10%　and　soaking　duration　of　30　min.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd