Transparent wood with heat shielding and high fire safety properties for energy saving applications

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is critical to achieving net-zero and addressing the global energy and climate crises. By adopting simple spin-coating, a solar-blocking coating (Cs_0.33WO₃) was prepared on transparent wood (TW). Meanwhile, a liquid and transparent flame retardant (BPDP) was employed to enhance its fire safety. The chemical composition, physical morphology, the thermal stability, and the fire safety of the resulting heat-shielding TW were analyzed using FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA, and Cone, respectively. Field tests and simulations were conducted to evaluate the solar-blocking capacity and energy-saving potential of the heat-shielding. The char yield (CY) of heat-shielding TW was increased from 7.3 % to 17.1 % due to the catalytic carbonization effect of BPDP and inorganic coating. The heat-shielding TW demonstrated significant solar-blocking capabilities, with a 46.63 % reduction in solar transmission compared to the original TW. The interior surface temperature (Ts) of the heat-shielding TW model was 10.2 °C lower than that of normal glass, indicating its remarkable heat shielding performance. Energy-saving simulations based on experimental findings revealed that such heat-shielding TW achieved energy savings of 9.6 %, 7.7 %, and 6.2 % in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore, respectively, when compared to traditional glazing glass. Overall, the prepared heat-shielding TW shows promise as a novel candidate for window applications, offering improved energy efficiency.