Posted on 05/17/2024 12:08:11 PM PDT by Red Badger
Glass might soon have some competition from an unlikely rival – bamboo. Scientists in China have turned regular old bamboo into a transparent material that’s also resistant to fire and water, and suppresses smoke.
Silica glass, made from sand, is still the go-to building material when you need something transparent but strong, like windows. But it’s not particularly sustainable, and can be heavy and brittle.
Transparent wood has actually been muscling in on glass’s turf for a few years now. Scientists chemically remove the lignin from the wood fibers, then treat the remaining material with plexiglass or epoxy. The end result is a material that’s transparent, renewable, and as strong as or stronger than glass, while being lighter and a better thermal insulator.
There are still a few problems with using wood though. It’s way more flammable than glass, and already in high demand, with stocks taking too long to replenish. So for the new study, researchers at Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT) in China turned to bamboo instead.
“Bamboo, often referred to as ‘the second forest,' boasts a fast growth and regeneration rate, allowing it to reach maturity and be utilized as a building material within four to seven years of growth,” said Caichao Wan, corresponding author of the study. “With an output four times higher than wood per acre, bamboo is recognized for its exceptional efficiency.”
Bamboo’s internal structure and chemical composition is very similar to wood, so the team used the same method to turn it transparent. After the lignin is removed, the bamboo is infused with an inorganic liquid sodium silicate, which changes the light refraction of the fibers to make it clear. Then, it’s treated to make the material hydrophobic, or water-repelling.
(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...
transparent aluminum almost here
I saw a bumper sticker once that said “Save the planet, Nuke the Gay Whales!”
Uh... Glass is already waterproof and fireproof. And unless the government is in charge, there is no shortage of sand.
Adults...they never let you have any fun with testing the boundaries if fire/explosions are involved.
LOL, I can still see that fire pit explode in the dark, red sparks and white smoke going everywhere...:)
Hahahah...all boys seem to love fire and explosions!
Considering all the complaints about bamboo cutting boards falling apart, it’s probably not a good idea to use them for anything structual that might collapse on people.
Yep or just plain ole pipes;-)
Read later.
Why does it remind me of Scotty’s transparent aluminum?
transparent aluminum has been around for a while:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxynitride
thank you
Is it strong enough to encase a whale aquarium ?
it’s VERY, VERY strong but i think only smallish pieces can be manufactured, AND it’s quite expensive ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.