Lignin-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots Empower Transparent Bamboo beyond Glass

Transparent materials like glass and plastics posed environmental challenges due to high energy consumption and fossil resource dependence. Transparent bamboo emerged as a renewable alternative but suffered from poor ultraviolet (UV) shielding functionality and limited antiweathering performance. Here, we reported a sustainable “from bamboo, for bamboo” strategy to overcome these limitations by incorporating carbon quantum dots (CQDs) derived from waste lignin into transparent bamboo. The resulting CQD-modified transparent bamboo (CTB) achieved ∼74% visible light transmittance while shielding over 82% of harmful UV radiation─far surpassing conventional glass (∼40% UV shielding). Moreover, the tensile strength of CTB increased to 83.25 MPa, 50% higher than unmodified transparent bamboo. These CQDs, uniformly embedded within the decolorized bamboo/epoxy matrix, efficiently absorbed UV light and improved interfacial compatibility, thereby endowing CTB with excellent weatherability. After accelerated weathering, CTB retained its UV shielding performance (over 85% UV shielding), hydrophobicity (contact angle >90°), and enhanced thermal stability. Additionally, the CQDs imparted intrinsic antifungal activity by generating reactive oxygen species. CTB demonstrated such excellent UV shielding performance, mechanical strength, and weathering durability, offering an eco-friendly pathway toward advanced transparent materials for use in buildings, vehicles, and outdoor functional surfaces.