With rapid growth rates and high yields, bamboo can be processed into a transparent material, effectively replacing glass as a building material.
Chinese scientists have transformed bamboo into a transparent material that is fire-resistant, waterproof, and smoke-proof, potentially competing with glass, as reported by New Atlas on May 15. The study was recently published in the journal Research.
Silica glass, made from sand, is a reasonable building material when a clear yet sturdy structure is needed, such as windows. However, it can be heavy and fragile, and lacks sustainability.
Scientists develop transparent bamboo that is waterproof and fire-resistant. (Image: Depositphotos)
Transparent wood has actually been around for a few years. Scientists have chemically removed lignin from wood fibers and then treated the material with acrylic or epoxy resin. The final product is a transparent, renewable material that is as strong as or stronger than glass, while also being lighter and better at insulation.
However, wood also has issues, such as being more flammable than glass, an insufficient supply to meet demand, and a lengthy additional production time. In the new study, a research team from Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT) in China shifted to using bamboo.
“Bamboo grows and regenerates quickly, so it can mature and be harvested for construction material in 4 to 7 years. With a yield four times that of wood per unit area (1 unit is approximately 4,000 m²), bamboo is recognized for its outstanding performance,” said Caichao Wan, a member of the research team.
Because the internal structure and chemical composition of bamboo are very similar to wood, the research team employed a similar method to make it transparent. After removing lignin, the bamboo is soaked in liquid sodium silicate, which alters the light refraction of the fibers and turns the bamboo transparent. It is then treated to become waterproof.
The final material consists of three layers: Silane on top, silicon dioxide in the middle, and sodium silicate at the bottom. The transparent bamboo has a light transmittance of 71.6%, along with fire resistance, waterproof capabilities, and smoke and carbon monoxide barrier properties.
In addition to being used as a building material, transparent bamboo can also serve as a substrate for perovskite solar cells, functioning like a light control layer. This helps to increase the energy conversion efficiency of the cells by 15.29%. “In our next research phase, we will focus on large-scale production and the diversification of this transparent bamboo,” Wan stated.
