Wood is a wonderful resource and we use it in almost everything. It would be fun if wood could not be seen but touched. So, could wood ever be transparent?
Dear Birajita Panda,
Transparent wood is in practice and lots of research have already been done on the same. In broader sense, delignification, using different chemicals, can give wood a lighter color and transparency. Primarily hydrogen peroxide is used but in combination with other chemicals at different stages and steps. Varios other methods have been explored as well. However, the extent of transparency and outcome of the the process depend on several other parameters.
Best,
Sauradipta
Dear Birajita Panda,
this is a very interesting question and the answer is „yes“. Whether wood becomes transparent depends on the layer thickness of the wood and the refractive index of the surrounding material. For the observation of microscopic slides in the field of wood anatomy (slides about 20-30 µm layer thickness) we bleach the slides in chlorine. If we embed the sections in glycerine, they almost "disappear" completely. To avoid this effect, we use clove oil, in which the cuts remain visible.
The question is therefore how high the potential for use is and whether there are possibilities of application in industry, for example for the substitution of glass.
I remember a very interesting conversation on this topic with Professor Rupert Wimmer from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku) in Vienna, Austria. I am sure that he could help you with appropriate literature recommendations (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rupert_Wimmer).
With best wishes from Hamburg
Volker
Dear Birajita Panda,
Yes, it is not a fully transparent but it is close. Depends on light absorbing (related chemical composition). Color responsable are chromophores group of lignin. I recommend this article: DOI: 10.1002/adom.201800059
I am so please with the answers given by others researchers.
My take is that: we should know that there are many reasons that makes wood to behave in a certain manner
1, the wood spp
2, age/maturity
3, axial/radial sampling
4, mc, chemical content etc
5, processing conditions/ methods
2,
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