Material scientists have developed a new method to upcycle waste wood into room-temperature phosphorescent (RTP) materials — unlocking new applications in anti-counterfeiting adhesives, optical films, and even fully recycable building products. Published in Nature Communications, the study was led by researchers from Northeast Forestry University in Harbin, China, and the University of Bath who demonstrated how thermally curing natural wood with melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resin dramatically enhances its phosphorescent properties.
The researchers achieved this by activating RTP emission in holocellulose and lignin, two key components of wood. Through thermal curing with MF resin, they produced a material that emits a vivid green glow with a lifetime of up to 332.5 milliseconds at 530 nanometres — a significant improvement over previous wood-based phosphorescent materials. The resulting product, named R-wood@MF, is not only visually distinctive but also highly durable, demonstrating strong resistance to both water and organic solvents.
To demonstrate its practical potential, the team applied R-wood@MF in anti-counterfeiting glues and multifunctional optical films, showcasing its versatility across industrial and commercial applications: “The robust interaction between MF and wood components during thermal curing — both covalent and non-covalent — promotes RTP emission of holocellulose and lignin in natural wood,” explained lead researcher Wei-Ming Yin, highlighting the importance of molecular bonding in achieving stable phosphorescence.
Wood Central understands the new study builds on earlier research showing that lignin confined within wood cell walls can emit RTP, though with limited duration. In untreated wood, the glow typically fades within tens of milliseconds — far too brief for practical use. However, to overcome this limitation, the researchers employed two key strategies: enhancing intersystem crossing (ISC) to generate a higher yield of triplet excitons, and suppressing non-radiative decay by rigidifying the lignin structure during the curing process.
“Using these strategies, the RTP lifetime of woody materials was enhanced to hundreds of milliseconds,” the team noted, adding that the material shows promise in “photocatalysis, 3D printing, visual decoration, and anti-counterfeiting applications.”
The innovation arrives as wood recycling becomes increasingly urgent. Despite timber’s widespread use, only 17% of global wood waste is currently recycled — most ends up as particle board, fuel, or fertiliser. Last year, Wood Central reported that lignin and cellulose, byproducts of the pulp industry, are being integrated into carbon-intensive materials to reduce environmental impact.
“Industry is now integrating cellulose from wood into a range of products including cement,” said Duncan Mayes, an advisor to global firms and a co-author of the 2024 State of the Forests report prepared by the FAO. “It speeds up curing, enables 3D printing, and enhances strength. Similar functionality has been found with lignin — it may even reduce the need for corrosion-prone steel reinforcement.”
