Removing polymers from wood to leave small cavities can greatly improve the insulating properties of the material without losing too much strength, which could be useful in building applications.
technology
January 10, 2023
Insulwood has better insulating properties than untreated wood University of Maryland
Porous materials made by treating wood with sodium hydroxide can better insulate your home from cold and noise.
Wood is one of the most sustainable building materials available, but it generally lacks insulation. Now, Liangbing Hu and his colleagues at the University of Maryland heat wood rapidly and then cool it slowly to remove lignin and a polymer known as hemicellulose, making it more porous and a more effective insulator. I figured out a way to do it.
Researchers call the resulting material Insulwood. …
