The revolutionary material called “Superwood” is planned to be mass-produced this year by InventWood, a startup headquartered in Maryland. This modified timber boasts exceptional strength, surpassing that of regular wood and even rivaling steel, with a strength-to-weight ratio reportedly ten times better. It’s set to go on sale later this year after 4 years of development.
In 2018, the University of Maryland materials scientist Liangbing Hu first invented a method for transforming regular wood into a high-performance structural material, known as the “densification process”.
The production of Superwood involves a two-step process. First, wood samples are boiled in a solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite to remove lignin and hemicellulose, which is primarily responsible for the wood’s rigidity.
Second, the treated timber is hot-pressed, causing cell walls to collapse and form aligned cellulose nanofibers to significantly enhance the strength. The resulting material is completely densified, exhibiting significantly enhanced strength and toughness.
In addition to its strength, the resulting Superwood also has other characteristics, including resistance to fire, weathering, and pests.
Originally, this process required weeks to complete, but advancements made by InventWood allowed us to reduce it to just a few hours.
The company has secured approximately $15 million in funding for the construction of a new 90,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Frederick, Maryland, where the first batches of Superwood will be manufactured for commercial use starting this year.
The company plans to initially target applications in facades in commercial and high-end residential buildings, with the long-term goal of replacing steel and concrete in structural components of buildings.
According to the researchers, the process can be applied to many different kinds of wood and can be scaled to treat large amounts of the material at once. They also say that the wood can be bent and molded in the desired shape at the beginning.
In addition, this process also allows for the use of softer, faster-growing woods, potentially reducing reliance on slower-growing, denser varieties.
Furthermore, Superwood’s potential extends beyond construction. Its properties could make it a viable alternative to steel and titanium alloys in various industries, including automotive and aerospace.
As InventWood rolls out its production, the construction industry may see a significant shift in material selection aimed at minimizing environmental impact while maximizing efficiency and durability.
Article source : InventWood
Image source by Yasemin K. on Unsplash
