Scientists turn wood waste into glowing material for TVs and phones

Researchers from Yale University and Nottingham Trent University have developed an eco-friendly, light-emitting material derived from lignin, a natural polymer and abundant by-product of the wood pulping and paper industry. This new material offers a sustainable alternative to conventional photoluminescent substances used in display technologies like TVs and smartphones, which typically rely on toxic metals and complex, polluting manufacturing processes. By combining lignin with the amino acid histidine and using only green solvents such as water and acetone, the team created solid-state materials that fluoresce under UV light with tunable properties, while minimizing environmental impact. The glowing effect arises from a process called Excited State Proton Transfer (ESPT), where lignin’s phenolic groups absorb UV light and act as photoacids, transferring protons to histidine molecules within the material. This interaction, revealed through computational modeling, enables efficient, metal-free light emission, with some materials continuing to glow briefly after the UV source is removed. The study highlights lign