# Thoughts on Transparent Wood **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 10, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377 "2023-12-10T19:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/1 "2023-12-10T19:44:16Z")
Seems like a cool material. Wonder if it will soon be as ubiquitous as this rah rah article makes it sound. Anyone seen or used transparent wood? > **[Wood That Is See-Through Like Glass and Stronger Than Plastic](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/12/transparent-wood-touch-screens-windows/676288/)** > > Transparent wood could soon make its way into touch screens, skyscraper windows, and car dashboards. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/2 "2023-12-10T21:05:59Z")
I think it’s extremely generous to call this “transparent”. It appears merely translucent to me. The only images I can find show the wood right up against whatever we’re seeing through it. I think it’s more like oiled paper. Plastic and glass both work so well I don’t expect it to go anyplace other than some niche novelty applications. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/3 "2023-12-10T23:10:19Z")
Maybe you could use it to transport your humpback whales through time in your hijacked Klingon warbird. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/4 "2023-12-10T23:31:22Z")
Everyone fondly remembers when wood was desirable on car exteriors to increase aerodynamics and allow surfers to make crude puns. I am hopeful Musk will find a way to add this modern agile component to future vehicles and spacey things. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/5 "2023-12-10T23:38:26Z")
> **[NASA and Japan to launch world's 1st wooden satellite as soon as 2024. Why?](https://www.space.com/nasa-japan-launch-wooden-satellite-lignosat-2024)** > > The magnolia wood LignoSat is an attempt to make space junk biodegradable. NASA and Japan's space agency (JAXA) could launch it as soon as 2024. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/6 "2023-12-11T00:18:02Z")
Nile Red has done two videos on transparent wood. He got pretty close with his second attempt. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uUU3jW7Y9Ak/maxresdefault.jpg "Making transparent wood") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUU3jW7Y9Ak) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/7 "2023-12-11T04:25:47Z")
Sure, but balsa wood is like 5% wood and 95% air anyway. I’d like to see him do that with a similarly sliced slab of maple. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/8 "2023-12-11T05:17:37Z")
Pfft! I was married for 20 years. Don’t talk to me about Transparent Wood! ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/9 "2023-12-11T06:43:55Z")
It’s a gimmick, it’s basically contaminated plastic/resin where the contaminant only barely affects the translucency. Unless I see any indication otherwise, I don’t see why you wouldn’t use just regular plastic except for the faux-eco credentials. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/10 "2023-12-11T12:44:29Z")
I’m not seeing any real value here other than for artistic cosmetic applications. Its basically the cellulosic structure of wood that has been impregnated with a polymer like polyacrylate or epoxy. Its not as hard as glass so will scratch easily, Its not as strong as other (opaque) composites and isn’t lighter than other options. I see no advantage to this, and its getting attention because its the subject of study and looks kinda cool. Unless there is a real advantage of this over something else, it will not be marketable. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/11 "2023-12-11T14:38:13Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Anyone seen or used transparent wood? I’ve been to the UMD lab that’s discussed, but I’m more interested in their high strength woods. The transparent wood is just a cellulose-reinforced composite that is primarily resin, and: > for now, glass still has lower end-of-life environmental impacts than transparent wood But if they’re able to partially use it for load bearing, that could be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-transparent-wood/994377/12 "2023-12-11T14:44:32Z")
A former co-worker became obsessed with transparent wood a few years ago, and keeps trying to figure out how to get on the bandwagon. Nothing’s come of this yet.