High-tech wood treated with a chemical found in BLEACH reflects sunlight and could be used to build houses that stay cool in hot weather
- Researchers from University of Maryland looked into chemically-treated wood
- Found hydrogen peroxide can change cell structure, stopping heat absorption
- Potentially, this could negate the need for domestic air-conditioning units
Chemically-treated wood may replace the need for air-conditioning and keep buildings cooler.
Researchers from the University of Maryland made the finding after altering the material’s cell structure with hydrogen peroxide – a chemical also found in bleach, hair-dye and teeth whiteners.
The wood reflects more energy from the sun, with less rays of light being absorbed and passed inside.
Homes built with modified wood could therefore be kept cooler in hot weather, negating the need for domestic climate control.
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An end to air-conditioning? Researchers from University of Maryland looked into chemically-treated wood, which reflects the bulk of near-infrared light
Liangbing Hu, the study’s author, did this by removing the lignin from a tree’s cell wall.
Lignin is created by plants to stiffen them and eventually leads to the production of wood.
Although treated, the wood would actually be stronger than normal – boasting a durability that’s comparable to steel.
Specifically, it would have tensile strength of around 404 megapascals. That’s nearly nine times greater than standard wood.
As if that wasn’t enough, the team also discovered that the material can soak-up heat that’s produced indoors and release it back into the atmosphere, almost emulating the functional of an extractor fan.
Flip-side: Although it would be effective in summer, the material wouldn’t be able to absorb any heat in the colder months, which would likely cause higher central heating costs
When translated to energy costs, Hu’s team calculated that it could reduce energy consumption by 20 to 35 per cent.
They did this by replacing the ceilings and exterior walls in various apartment buildings across 16 US states.
However, there is a flip-side: the material wouldn’t be able to absorb any heat in the colder months, which would likely cause higher central heating costs.
Therefore, Hu suggests the material is used in areas renowned for their oppressively hot weather, such as Arizona and Hawaii.
The study was published in the journal, Science