Nanowood is heat-insulating material made from wood, that is considered a slightly better insulator than Styrofoam. Unlike Styrofoam, the material is more environmentally friendly and biodegradable. It is considered light, strong and created entirely from stripped-down wood fibers.[1]

Design

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The material was invented by engineer, Liangbing Hu and his team at University of Maryland, College Park. The material "when exposed to the solar spectrum" reflected approximately 95% of radiation energy absorbing only approximately 2%. Silica aerogel "absorbed approximately 20% and transmits approximately 60% of the radiative heat" according to study authors.[2] Nanowood could potentially save "billions in energy costs" according to Tian Li, a team member.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Khan, Amina (2018-03-12). "This is 'nanowood,' an invention that could reduce humanity's carbon footprint". phys.org. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
  2. ^ Khan, Amina (10 March 2018). "This is 'nanowood,' a new invention that could greatly reduce humanity's carbon footprint". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
  3. ^ Matchar, Emily (2018-03-26). "Could 'Nanowood' Replace Styrofoam?". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2018-05-07.