Patent ID: 11958209
Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC B

Claim 15:
16. A method comprising:
removing at least 90% of lignin from a piece of natural wood while substantially retaining cellulose-based lumina of the natural wood, thereby producing a piece of delignified wood with increased porosity as compared to the natural wood before chemical treatment;
after the removing, drying the piece of delignified wood by freeze drying or critical point drying to preserve a structure of cellulose-based lumina of the natural wood with increased porosity and such that the cellulose-based lumina remain open or unobstructed in a cross-sectional view; and
after the drying, chemically-treating the piece of delignified wood to be hydrophobic or providing the piece of delignified wood with a hydrophobic coating,
wherein after the drying, the piece of delignified wood is substantially white in color and exhibits a reflectivity of at least 90% in a wavelength range of 400-700 nm.