Sustainable transparent bamboo/W-VO<sub>2</sub> composites for solar modulation and energy-efficient buildings

Zhihan Li; Zhen Zhang; Haibo Huang; Yuxiang Liu; Ying Wu; Ziyi Pan; Yan Qing; Lin Tian; Zengyao Li; Xinpeng Zhao; Yiqiang Wu

doi:10.1016/j.jobab.2025.11.001

Volume 11 Issue 1

Feb. 2026

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Zhihan Li, Zhen Zhang, Haibo Huang, Yuxiang Liu, Ying Wu, Ziyi Pan, Yan Qing, Lin Tian, Zengyao Li, Xinpeng Zhao, Yiqiang Wu. Sustainable transparent bamboo/W-VO2 composites for solar modulation and energy-efficient buildings[J]. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 2026, 11(1): 100225. doi: 10.1016/j.jobab.2025.11.001

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Zhihan Li, Zhen Zhang, Haibo Huang, Yuxiang Liu, Ying Wu, Ziyi Pan, Yan Qing, Lin Tian, Zengyao Li, Xinpeng Zhao, Yiqiang Wu. Sustainable transparent bamboo/W-VO₂ composites for solar modulation and energy-efficient buildings[J]. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 2026, 11(1): 100225. doi: 10.1016/j.jobab.2025.11.001

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Sustainable transparent bamboo/W-VO₂ composites for solar modulation and energy-efficient buildings

doi: 10.1016/j.jobab.2025.11.001

Zhihan Li^{a, 1},
Zhen Zhang^{a, 1},
Haibo Huang^b,
Yuxiang Liu^a,
Ying Wu^a,
Ziyi Pan^a,
Yan Qing^{a
,
,},
Lin Tian^c,
Zengyao Li^c,
Xinpeng Zhao^{d
,
,},
Yiqiang Wu^{a
,
,}

a.
College of Materials and Energy, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
b.
Department of Advanced Agricultural Materials, Agricultural Equipment Research Institute of Hunan, Changsha 410083, China
c.
Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid and Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
d.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824, USA

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail address: qingyan@csuft.edu.cn (Y. Qing); E-mail address: xpzhao@msu.edu (X. Zhao); E-mail address: wuyiqiang@csuft.edu.cn (Y. Wu)
Received Date: 2025-07-02
Accepted Date: 2025-10-10
Rev Recd Date: 2025-09-30

Available Online: 2025-11-12

Publish Date: 2026-02-01

Abstract

Abstract

Energy-efficient buildings require sustainable materials that combine structural performance with advanced optical and thermal functionalities to minimize energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Here, we reported a new strategy to develop biodegradable transparent bamboo with a dense and ordered structure, achieved through selective delignification followed by directional pressing to align cellulose nanofibrils. This process yielded large-scale transparent bamboo with remarkable mechanical strength, 78% optical transparency in the visible spectrum, and a high haze (>90%) that ensured uniform daylight distribution and reduced reliance on artificial lighting. To further impart dynamic solar modulation, a thin polylactic acid film containing tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide (W-VO₂) nanoparticles was integrated onto the transparent bamboo substrate. The resulting thermochromic bamboo exhibited a solar modulation ability of 9.7% along with effective thermal regulation that lowered indoor heating loads in hot regions. By synergizing biodegradability, mechanical robustness, and active photothermal control, this transparent bamboo/W-VO₂ composite offered a sustainable and high-performance alternative to conventional glass, holding great promise for energy-efficient building applications.
- Biodegradable transparent bamboo,
- Light management,
- Thermal management,
- Mechanical property,
- Energy-efficient construction material

Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Supplementary materials
Supplementary material associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at doi:10.1016/j.jobab.2025.11.001.
^✩ Peer review under the responsibility of Editorial Office of Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts.

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