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Scientists have invented a transparent wood, a building material that stores, releases heat and potentially saves energy.
The new material may well be the future of energy efficient homes, because the energy captured by the sun during the day can be used to light the interior of the house at night.
"We have prepared a multi-functional material: it can very well transmit light and can also store heat. We have combined these two functions into one material, "said Céline Montanari, researcher at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
The research began 3 years ago when Lars Berglund, professor and colleagues at Stockholm's KTH Royal Institute of Technology, designed an optically transparent wood.
Transparent wood has been made by removing lignin, a component that gives the color and strength of wood, to basal wood; and fill the wood with acrylic, a non-biodegradable and water repellent.
As research progressed, scientists introduced polyethylene glycol (PEG) into the material.
Polyethylene glycol is a substance that absorbs heat and melts when heated. It also releases energy whenever the temperature drops.
"If you take 100 g of this transparent wood material with (polyethylene glycol) inside, it can absorb up to 8,000 joules of heat, which roughly equates to what you expect." a bulb could produce in two hours, "said Montanari.
"On a sunny day, the material will absorb heat before reaching the interior space, and the interior will be cooler than on the outside … And at night, the l & # 39; The reverse occurs – the PEG becomes solid and releases heat indoors so you can maintain a constant temperature. temperature in the house. "
Although this is not the first attempt to design building materials that can absorb heat and transmit light, the researchers claimed that their invention was distinguished by its unique materials.
Montanari added that projects are underway to replace acrylic with a biodegradable alternative, increase the production of the material and design building computer models to compare transparent wood to glass.
The researchers are expected to present their findings on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at the 2019 Spring National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Orlando, Florida.
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