A team of researchers from the University of Maryland made a transparent material from ordinary wood sheets that’s clear as glass, but much stronger and with a higher insulating capacity.
They hope it will be used as an energy efficient material in the future.
Scientists Make Transparent Wood Sheets Clear as Glass, but Stronger
Wood is made of two basic ingredients, i.e. cellulose or the tiny fibers and lignin or what bonds these tiny fibers.
If you were to tear a paper sheet in half and look closely along the edge, you’ll notice the tiny cellulose fibers. The lignin is like a glue that bonds them together, similarly to the plastic resin in carbon fiber or fiberglass.
Namely, lignin contains molecules known as chromophores that give wood its brown color and avert light passing through.
Some early attempts to create transparent wood included the removal of lignin; however, this added to usage of hazardous chemicals, high temperatures, and was time consuming.
It ended up making the product expensive and brittle. This new technique is considered less expensive and easy-to-make.
How Did the Scientists Make the Transparent Wood Sheets?
The scientists used planks of wood a meter long and a millimeter thick which they brushed with a hydrogen peroxide solution.
When they left it in the sun or under an UV lamp for approximately an hour, the peroxide bleached the brown chromophores, yet it didn’t affect the lignin.
And, the wood turned white. The next step was infusing the wood with a strong and transparent epoxy that’s intended for marine use.
It filled the spaces and pores of the wood and then it became hard and helped make the white wood transparent.
You Can See a Similar Effect in Your Home
If you want to see a similar effect at home, take a piece of paper and dip half of it in water and put it onto a patterned surface.
You’ll notice the paper becoming translucent with the light passing through the water and cellulose fibers without getting scattered by refraction. Interestingly, the wood’s epoxy does even a better job and allows 90 percent of the visible light to pass through.
The end product is a long piece of glass-looking material that possesses the wood’s strength and flexibility.
Could It Be Used for Window Making?
As a potential material for windows, this sheet could help lower the accidental breakage risk associated with traditional glass.
Also, it’s lighter than glass and has better insulation that is crucial considering windows are to blame for heat loss in buildings.
Plus, the costs for its production may be lower since there’s no need of using high levels of temperature. In the future, this transparent wood may become the glass alternative in energy efficient buildings or as a solar panel coverage in harsher environments.
A variety of wood types, from oak to balsa, can be made transparent and it doesn’t play any role if the matter is cut along the grain or against it.
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