Wood xerogel for fabrication of high-performance transparent wood

Optically transparent wood has been fabricated by structure-retaining delignification of wood and subsequent infiltration of thermo- or photocurable polymer resins but still limited by the intrinsic low mesopore volume of the delignified wood. Here we report a facile approach to fabricate strong transparent wood composites using the wood xerogel which allows solvent-free infiltration of resin monomers into the wood cell wall under ambient conditions. The wood xerogel with high specific surface area (260 m(2) g(-1)) and high mesopore volume (0.37 cm(3) g(-1)) is prepared by evaporative drying of delignified wood comprising fibrillated cell walls at ambient pressure. The mesoporous wood xerogel is compressible in the transverse direction and provides precise control of the microstructure, wood volume fraction, and mechanical properties for the transparent wood composites without compromising the optical transmittance. Transparent wood composites of large size and high wood volume fraction (50%) are successfully prepared, demonstrating potential scalability of the method. Optically transparent wood composites are commonly prepared by delignification of wood and subsequent infiltration of thermo- or photocurable polymer resins but the fabrication is still limited by the intrinsic low mesopore volume of the delignified wood. Here, the authors report a facile approach to fabricate transparent wood using wood xerogel which allows solvent-free infiltration of resin monomers into the wood cell wall under ambient conditions.'

Automated summary

Researchers have developed a method to fabricate strong transparent wood composites by using wood xerogel that allows solvent-free infiltration of resin monomers into the wood cell wall under ambient conditions. The wood xerogel has a high mesopore volume and can provide precise control of the microstructure, wood volume fraction, and mechanical properties for the transparent wood composites without compromising the optical transmittance. This approach shows potential scalability and can be used to prepare large-sized transparent wood composites with high wood volume fraction.