Swedish researchers have developed a form of ‘transparent wood’ that could be used to build windows in future.

The material could be used in place of patterned glass to give rooms more privacy, letting light through but not being entirely transparent.

The new wood, developed by Scientists at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, could also be ideal for solar panels.

“Transparent wood is a good material for solar cells, since it’s a low-cost, readily available and renewable resource,” explains Professor Lars Berglund from the Wallenberg Wood Science Center at KTH. “This becomes particularly important in covering large surfaces with solar cells.”

The transparent wood is created by stripping all the lignin - a natural fibre found in cell walls - from the material. This makes the wood “beautifully white”, but doesn’t make it see-through.

The researchers then insert a transparent polymer into the wood to achieve a see-through finish.

The team is working to "enhance the transparency of the material” so that it future it could be used more widely.

While sceptics might think that the idea of transparent wood is an April Fool’s joke, the findings were published in the American Chemical Society journal, Biomacromolecules in March.

Image credit: KTH Royal Institute of Technology