Researchers at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden have announced an increase in transparent wood they were first introduced five years ago. New research has made their composite material 100 percent renewable and more translucent light. The researchers have instilled their transparent wood with clear bio-plastic originating from oranges.
The key to making wood becomes transparent composite material beyond its lignin which is a light absorbent component in wood. However, the pores of the pores are empty after stripping lignin must be filled with something to restore the natural strength of the material and allow light to perse. Previous versions of used polymers based on fossil polymers.
Researchers have completed testing with an environmentally friendly alternative called Limonene Acrylate, monomers made from Limonene. Material made of renewable oranges, such as recycled skin waste from the orange juice industry. Composite offers optical transmission by 90 percent on a thickness of 1.2 millimeters and a very low fog of 30 percent.
This new material is intended for structural use and shows heavy duty performance with a power of 174 MPa and 17 elasticity of the GPA on sustainable. Researchers have been looking for ways to replace fossil-based polymers, and the replacement is seen as the main challenge to make sustainable transparent wood.
The progress of KTH can allow transparent wood to use in various applications, including smart windows, wood for heat storage, wood which has integrated lighting functions, and maybe wood lasers. At present, researchers work with group Photonics in KTH to explore the possibility of further nanotechnology. Enhanced materials are made without solvents, and only the chemicals are reduced by the bio used.