Engineering and materials evolve over time to become increasingly resistant, affordable and environmentally friendly. In this context, sustainable wood, although economical and environmentally friendly, has a relatively low tensile strength, which limits its use.

However, researchers at Nanjing University in China have developed a self-densification technique that promises to create super-strong wood.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙

The great challenge of natural wood is the presence of hollow tubes called lumens, found in fibers composed of cellulose and lignin. To overcome this limitation, scientists have proposed a new method that involves several steps:

Chemical boiling – The wood is boiled in a solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite, removing part of the lignin.

Chemical treatment – ​​It is then immersed in a solution of lithium chloride and dimethylacetamide.

Expansion and filling – The remaining cellulose and lignin expand and fill the lumens.

Controlled drying – The material is left to dry for 10 hours, shrinking uniformly but maintaining its original length.

𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧-𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙

The result of this process is wood that is significantly more resistant to traction, bending and impact than natural wood or wood compressed by traditional methods. One of the great advantages of this technique is that it does not require hot pressing, which reduces energy consumption.

With the advancement of this technology, it is expected that super-strong wood will be able to replace more expensive and heavier materials, such as metals, in various applications, especially in civil construction. If this innovation is consolidated, it could open up new possibilities for the use of wood as a highly resistant and sustainable construction material.