State-of-the-art luminescent materials based on wood veneer with superior strength, transparency, and water resistance

Current energy and luminescent materials utilize polymers to encapsulate fluorescent carbon nanodots and dyes but they usually lack stability and biodegradability. Here, we introduce an alternative wood nanotechnology to produce luminescent films (veneer) with UV resistance and tailorable surface energy. First, fluorescent and transparent wood (FTW) is shown as a support of aggregation-induced fluorescent emission (AIE) by in-situ Hantzsch reaction of acetoacetate delignified wood (AA-DW). Highly aligned cellulose nanofibers present in AA-DW facilitate FTW densification, ensuing exceptional mechanical performance (tensile strength and Young's modulus of up to 422 MPa and 45 GPa, respectively). Simultaneously, the conjugated structures display high transparency (83 %), haze (80 %) and optical anisotropy. The new luminescent system is demonstrated to be biodegradable and effective in optical (fluorescent) windows as well as encrypted films.