Smart Wooden Home Enabled by Direct-Written Laser-Induced Graphene

Abstract

Wood is a naturally abundant, renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, and environment-friendly construction material. Smart homes capable of remote monitoring and light, climate, and appliance control require a large number of electrical sensors and interconnections, which are challenging to implement in wood. Although conductive Laser-induced-graphene (LIG) formation on lignocellulosic materials has been lately reported, the introduction of LIG electrodes to smart wooden home applications has not been addressed to date. Herein, the direct patterning of LIG on natural wood in atmospheric air to form key electrical components that can support the construction of smart wooden homes is demonstrated. The sheet resistance of the LIG can reach 6.0 omega sq(-1), which is sufficient to support smart home requirements. Four key smart home components, namely, a temperature sensor, heater, boiler, and electrical interconnections, are successfully patterned on wood at room temperature without significant ablation. In consideration of the real-world application of this technology to wooden buildings, varnish coating is used for the LIG's structural protection; all the tests are conducted repeatedly by considering the actual wooden smart home applications. The design of LIG electrical connections using an external mechanical pressure without conductive adhesives will help promote the development of green and smart adhesive-free timber-based buildings.