Science New process endows wood with super properties

[Notebook]

https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/new-process-endows-wood-with-super-properties

Would be nice if they can make a capsule out of this. Might be bit odd looking, with its grain on the outside...

Nature article description:
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature25476

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[Artlav]

Densified wood? Isn't that a really old idea? Like, 19th century level old.

What's new about their way of doing it?

 

[Notebook]

No idea, its all new to me.

Maybe they got the idea from Pyrkrete?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pykrete

 

[jedidia]

Densified wood? Isn't that a really old idea? Like, 19th century level old.

What's new about their way of doing it?

Quite a bit, apparently. According to the nature article, the new method achieves an increase in structural strength by a factor of 10. Apparently older methods of densification only managed up to four, which is nice, but not strong enough for real structural applications, so this would seem like quite a game changer.
Structural strength isn't everything, though. I'd like some additional data about flexibility and hardness, because it's the combination of these three factors that make steel and aluminium/titanium alloys so kick-ass.
If they tell me that this stuff can measure up to the flexibility of spring steel and is hard enough to hold a decently acute edge... Then I want a wooden sword! :lol:

 

[Donamy]

Just don't put a match to it. Or is it fire proof too ?

 

[dbeachy1]

To be fair. carbon fiber isn't fireproof, either, but is widely used where strength and low weight is paramount. From reading the article, this looks like an exciting discovery! (Highlight added below.)

The new wood ‘densification’ treatment makes a material twelve times stronger than natural wood and ten times tougher. The properties of the treated wood make it similar to carbon fibre, but much cheaper and a competitor to steel or even titanium alloys.

The treated wood is both strong and tough - a combination not normally found in nature. After measuring the mechanical properties of the densified wood, it was found to be as strong as steel but six times lighter. Ten times more energy is needed to break the material compared to natural wood. The densified wood can also be bent or formed into a shape in the course of the treatment process.

EDIT:

Check this out: https://umdrightnow.umd.edu/news/umd-researchers-create-super-wood-stronger-most-metals It has a lot more uses than just replacing metals, too. Quoting:

Hu’s research has explored the capacities of wood’s natural nanotechnology. They previously made a range of emerging technologies out of nanocellulose related materials:
(1) super clear paper for replacing plastic;
(2) photonic paper for improving solar cell efficiency by 30%;
(3) a battery and a supercapacitor out of wood;
(4) a battery from a leaf;
(5) transparent wood for energy efficient buildings;
(6) solar water desalination for drinking and specifically filtering out toxic dyes.

These wood-based emerging technologies are being commercialized through a UMD spinoff company, Inventwood LLC.

If these uses pan out, it's going to be fun to watch.

 

[jedidia]

transparent wood for energy efficient buildings;

Transparent wood? Dang, Star Trek didn't see that one coming :rofl:

If these uses pan out, it's going to be fun to watch.

One drawback, though: If these pan out, the rain forrests will be gone even faster...

 

[Donamy]

Alot of trees in Cali need to be cut down. Fire hazzard.

 

[dbeachy1]

And trees are a 100% renewable resource. From what I have read, the vast majority of tree farms replant trees as they harvest them. For example, lots of info here.

 

[jedidia]

And trees are a 100% renewable resource.

They are, but they don't renew themselves (at least not at the rate we're consuming them), and we're not doing a good job currently. Now, the peak in 2016 is mostly ascribed to fires, but we're expecting those to become more frequent. If we turn wood into a major industrial resource, increasing its demand, the mining will rise as well. And with the political state of the globe right now, solid regulations for reforrestation seem to be wishful thinking.

 

[Donamy]

I know the steel industry will be against it.