When it comes to indoor lighting, nothing beats the sun’s rays streaming in through windows. Soon, that natural light could be shining through walls, too.
Scientists have developed transparent wood that could be used in building materials and could help home and building owners save money on their artificial lighting costs. Their material, reported in ACS’ journal Biomacromolecules, also could find application in solar cell windows.
Homeowners often search for ways to brighten up their living space. They opt for light-colored paints, mirrors and lots of lamps and ceiling lights. But if the walls themselves were transparent, this would reduce the need for artificial lighting — and the associated energy costs. Recent work on making transparent paper from wood has led to the potential for making similar but stronger materials. Lars Berglund and colleagues wanted to pursue this possibility.
The researchers removed lignin from samples of commercial balsa wood. Lignin is a structural polymer in plants that blocks 80 to 95 percent of light from passing through. But the resulting material was still not transparent due to light scattering within it. To allow light to pass through the wood more directly, the researchers incorporated acrylic, often known as Plexiglass. The researchers could see through the resulting material, which was twice as strong as Plexiglass. Although the wood isn’t as crystal clear as glass, its haziness provides a possible advantage for solar cells. Specifically, because the material still traps some light, it could be used to boost the efficiency of these cells, the scientists note.
The Latest on: Transparent wood
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The Latest on: Transparent wood
- Transparent bamboo: A fireproof and waterproof alternative to glasson May 15, 2024 at 1:40 am
Glass might soon have some competition from an unlikely rival – bamboo. Scientists in China have turned regular old bamboo into a transparent material that’s also resistant to fire and water, and ...
- Scientists make transparent, fireproof glass-like material out of bambooon May 14, 2024 at 2:10 pm
In the race towards sustainable construction, bamboo is rapidly outpacing traditional materials. It is truly earning its place as the green steel of the 21st century. With a tensile strength that ...
- Vietnam’s wood industry strives to match sustainable wood demandson May 13, 2024 at 5:35 pm
The Vietnam’s wood industry has many opportunities for recovery in 2024, with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification seen as essential for accessing global markets.
- A novel flame-retardant, smoke-suppressing and superhydrophobic transparent bamboo for future glasseson May 13, 2024 at 6:49 am
Professors Yiqiang Wu and Caichao Wan, along with their team from Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT), have pioneered a transparent material derived from natural bamboo. This ...
- Transparent bamboo offers challenge to silica glasson May 13, 2024 at 4:00 am
Researchers at Central South University of Forestry and Technology in China have developed a transparent material derived from bamboo that is flame-retardant, smoke-suppressing, and superhydrophobic.
- Wood Stain Buying Guideon May 12, 2024 at 5:00 pm
If the wood in your deck is pressure-treated with CCA, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends regularly applying a penetrating coating, such as a semi-transparent or clear stain ...
- CSUFT-led team creates novel flame-retardant, smoke-suppressing, and superhydrophobic transparent bamboo for future glasseson May 11, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Professors Yiqiang Wu and Caichao Wan, along with their team from Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT), have pioneered a groundbreaking transparent material derived from natural ...
- Wood County Commission oversees retest of voting systemon May 9, 2024 at 4:59 pm
Wood County Clerk Joe Gonzales ... of caution and to maintain the standards and integrity of the system and its process. “We wanted to be transparent and the commission wanted to be transparent,” ...
- Best Wood Stains of 2024 (and a Few of the Worst)on November 27, 2023 at 11:31 pm
You’ll find additional details and options in our comprehensive wood stain ratings. As a category, transparent wood stains, or clear sealers, don’t fare well in our tests. The Olympic ...
- Video Details Construction Of Transparent Woodon November 26, 2018 at 5:36 pm
We’ve talked about transparent wood before. However, the process can be difficult to get just right. [NileRed] recently posted a video with very detailed instructions on how he’s doing it.
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