Wood-based paper that emits light holds key to eco-friendlier devices

Submitted: The Two Sides Team June 30, 2015

Chinese scientists have developed a wood-based paper that’s also transparent and light-emitting—an innovation that could lead to greener smartphones and tablets in the future.

The paper is foldable and rollable, and provides a more sustainable alternative to rigid petroleum-based plastic used in the electronic displays across a multitude of gadgets. Scientists at Sichuan University were able to create the paper by mixing wood flour with biocompatible quantum dots via an eco-friendly method called suction-filtration. In addition to its flexibility, the photoluminescent nanocellulose paper can also light up in room temperature. While the product hasn’t yet been mass-produced, it could “bring a new thinking on future electronic displays and 3-D printing papers,” according to the researchers’ study.