Bioinspired precision peeling of ultrathin bamboo green cellulose frameworks for light management in optoelectronics

As demand grows for sustainable optical materials, conventional biomass films struggle with opacity and thickness trade-offs. Now, researchers from Central South University of Forestry and Technology, led by Prof. Yingfeng Zuo and Prof. Yiqiang Wu, have developed a bioinspired precision peeling strategy to isolate 10-μm-thick bamboo green frameworks with 88% haze and 80% transparency. This work offers a scalable route to eco-friendly light-management layers for optoelectronics.

Why Bamboo Green Matters

• Ultrathin & Transparent: 100× thinner than wood-based films, achieving high transparency without nanofibrillation.
• Light Scattering: Native cellulose alignment and wax-cellulose interfaces enable strong broadband haze.
• Sustainable Source: Transforms industrial bamboo waste into high-value optical materials.

Innovative Design and Features

• Squid-Inspired Peeling: Peroxyformic acid selectively disrupts parenchyma cell bonds, preserving cellulose structure.
• Monolayer Architecture: Retains native cellulose I crystallinity (64.76%) and uniaxial fibril alignment (Hermans factor: 0.23).
• Mechanical Robustness: 903 MPa modulus with anisotropic strength for durable integration.

Applications and Future Outlook

• Solar Cell Enhancement: Boosts polycrystalline silicon PCE by 0.41% absolute (18.74% → 19.15%), outperforming synthetic coatings.
• Scalable Production: 270 cm² framework per bamboo culm, compatible with standard wafer sizes.
• Circular Economy: Low-energy peeling process aligns with green manufacturing and waste-to-wealth strategies.

This study demonstrates a biomimetic, low-cost pathway to high-performance cellulose optical films, bridging sustainability and functionality for next-generation photovoltaics and optoelectronics.