World’s first wooden transistor created by Swedish researchers

Researchers from Linköping University and KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed the world’s first electrical transistor made of wood. Unlike previous attempts that could only regulate ion transport, the transistor can continuously function and regulate electricity flow without deteriorating. The researchers used balsa wood, which was stripped of lignin and filled with a conductive polymer, resulting in an electrically conductive wood material. Although the wood transistor is currently slow and bulky, the technology has enormous development potential.

The wood transistor that can regulate electric current and switch power on and off with a delay of about one second and five seconds, respectively. The transistor channel is larger than regular organic transistors, potentially allowing for higher current tolerance. While one possible application could be regulating electronic plants, the researchers emphasize that the transistor was created for basic research purposes, with the hope of inspiring further research that could lead to future applications.