Scientists invent 'transparent wood' in search for eco-friendly building material

[Judi Lynn]

New material could replace plastic or glass in construction of energy-efficient homes

Nicola Davis
@NicolaKSDavis
Wed 3 Apr 2019 05.00 EDT Last modified on Wed 3 Apr 2019 11.35 EDT

In an era of glass and steel construction, wood may seem old-school. But now researchers say they have given timber a makeover to produce a material that is not only sturdy, but also transparent and able to store and release heat.

The researchers say the material could be used in the construction of energy-efficient homes, and that they hope to develop a biodegradable version to increase its eco-friendly credentials as an alternative to plastic, glass or even cement.

“We prepared a material that is multifunctional – it can transmit light very well and also it can store heat. We combined these two functions in a single material,” said Céline Montanari of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Montanari is presenting the work at the spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando.

To produce the material, the team built on previous work in which they took balsa wood and removed its lignin – a component of wood that gives it strength and colour. Acrylic, which is non-biodegradable and water-repellent, was introduced into the remaining tissues where it filled both the tiny pores left by the removal of lignin and the hollow vessels that carried water in the tree. That, said Montanari, not only helped maintain the wood’s structure but also restored its strength and improved its optical properties. The upshot was a frosted-looking wood-based material.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/03/scientists-invent-transparent-wood-in-search-for-eco-friendly-building-material

[patricia92243]

1. Could they be used in hot places such as Florida? We do everything we can

to avoid the heat.

[cstanleytech]

2. To early to say as the article explains they still have alot of work to see if its viable.