"Transparent timber" finally succeeded! Harder than glass
Under normal circumstances when the timber lifted this material, I believe we should instantly think it is brown and solid core characteristics. But I have not thought about actually timber can be transparent it? Saying recently researchers have really successfully create a transparent timber, glass and plastic compared to a lot more advantages, maybe one day can be applied to windows, dining table or even on top of building materials.
It is understood that materials scientists from the University of Maryland Liangbing Hu, recently the successful use of two general steps above brown wood removed, so that the timber can be changed to be able to thoroughly understand. Statistics show that the research team first put a piece of wood inside the water, sodium hydroxide and other chemicals are mixing liquid, then boil and cook for 2 hours. This process will be able to impart color to remove lignin in the wood, but they still retain their original internal structure. After completing the next step is in the transparent timber added epoxy, a move that will make it possible to increase the strength of 4-6 times.
Be aware of this transparent glass timber is not only higher than the insulation resistance and strength, and are compared with the plastic on the biodegradation rate is also more accelerated, no doubt will use more environmentally friendly. In addition, another feature of the transparent timber is to retain the original structure of wood, but it is known under the waveguide effect but also allows more light to pass through, rather than the traditional material transparent to the light to be scattered off, a result that is means that when the window is made, but also allows more light to enter the house. However, the current technology still need to pay attention to certain restrictions, because only the largest research teams can be a 5 x 5 inches and only paper-thin wood becomes transparent, visible and if so would like to apply it on top of a variety of products, should also be required wait for some time to improve.