Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Towards Biomimicking Wood: Fabricated Free-standing Films of Nanocellulose, Lignin, and a Synthetic Polycation
Published on: June 17, 2014
Bioinspired Precision Peeling of Ultrathin Bamboo Green Cellulose Frameworks for Light Management in Optoelectronics
Yan Wang1, Yuan Zhang1, Yingfeng Zuo2
1College of Materials and Energy, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Cellulose frameworks have emerged as promising materials for light management due to their exceptional light-scattering capabilities and sustainable nature. Conventional biomass-derived cellulose frameworks face a fundamental trade-off between haze and transparency, coupled with impractical thicknesses (≥ 1 mm). Inspired by squid's skin-peeling mechanism, this work develops a peroxyformic acid (HCOOOH)-enabled precision peeling strategy to isolate intact 10-µm-thick bamboo green (BG) frameworks-100 × thinner than wood-based counterparts while achieving an unprecedented optical performance (88% haze with 80% transparency). This performance surpasses delignified biomass (transparency < 40% at 1 mm) and matches engineered cellulose composites, yet requires no energy-intensive nanofibrillation. The preserved native cellulose I crystalline structure (64.76% crystallinity) and wax-coated uniaxial fibril alignment (Hermans factor: 0.23) contribute to high mechanical strength (903 MPa modulus) and broadband light scattering. As a light-management layer in polycrystalline silicon solar cells, the BG framework boosts photoelectric conversion efficiency by 0.41% absolute (18.74% → 19.15%), outperforming synthetic anti-reflective coatings. The work establishes a scalable, waste-to-wealth route for optical-grade cellulose materials in next-generation optoelectronics.

