OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF TRANSPARENT WOOD PREPARED FROM BALSA

Abstract

In this study, transparent wood was prepared by deactivating chromophore groups in raw balsa wood, followed by solvent free dehydration and a subsequent vacuum-assisted polymer infiltration. Thermal degradation of transparent wood takes place in two main steps.Optical properties (colorimetry, transmittance) of transparent wood made from balsa wood and acrylic polymers were studied. Highest values of transmittance in the visible part of spectra were achieved by 0.7 mm thick samples at approx. 77%. The dependence of thickness ontransmittance showed a linear decrease with increasing thickness of transparent wood. Thecreated material also exhibits absorbing properties in visible and UV spectra.