Flexible transparent wood with reversible photoresponsive property

Abstract

Flexible photoresponsive transparent wood (FPTW) has potential applications in electronic equipment, sensors, and other fields. In this study, flexible and photoresponsive transparent wood was synthesized through the impregnation process, utilizing epoxy resin and a spiropyran solution. This process endowed the wood with intelligent response and flexible capabilities. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the impregnation of the flexible polymer into the porous structure of natural wood. Further validation was conducted to affirm the sample responds to ultraviolet light, employing analyses of infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Through the measurement of chromaticity parameters, encompassing lightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*), and total color difference (ΔE*), before and after UV irradiation, it is indicated that the wooden samples manifest commendable photoresponsive properties. Testing the fluorescence properties of the samples, the spiropyran completed the opened-loop and closed-loop transitions under irradiation with UV and visible light. In addition, the FPTW has excellent mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 0.98 GPa and an elastic modulus of 0.65 GPa.