Science continues to push the boundaries of the possible and push the previously seemingly insurmountable boundaries further and further. Now it is also possible to discuss another groundbreaking discovery in the field of so-called material engineering, which amazed even the biggest skeptics. Who would have thought that there could be a new wood with quite different properties?
A team of experts from all over the world worked on this discovery, and the result of their work is a modified wood that is many times stronger than ordinary wood. What can this mean? For example, in the construction industry, it could be used for similar purposes as steel is now. Therefore, scientists promise him literally revolutionary changes not only in the mentioned field. For nature, new wood could mean a huge advantage in reducing the production of greenhouse gases.
Two-stage processing process
How could such a superwood come about? It was not a process in a chemical laboratory, where thanks to the mixing of several well-secret ingredients and after a spectacular explosion of colored gases, a new tree would appear with wood so strong that the others could only silently envy it. Jit is a treatment of ordinary softwood that has been subjected to a two-stage process, when it was first about the removal of lignin and subsequent compression. Is it complicated? But sure, that’s why real experts also took part in such a discovery.
Lignin has to go
If we talk about lignin removalthen it is a chemical treatment of wood, the result of which is precisely elimination of this substance from its cellular structure. Although lignin is important for the stability of a living tree, on the other hand it prevents the wood from reaching its maximum density. Therefore, as soon as it disappears from the material, the wood becomes already at this stage and more pliable.
Pressure will make an interesting work
But this was not enough for the scientists, so they moved on to the second phase, i.e. to the already mentioned compression. Lignin-free wood is exposed to enormous pressure and high temperature. Only in this way is it possible to perfectly compress the entire structure of the wood, which leads to its transformation into a fascinating form. The individual cells perfectly fill all the free spaces created, the cellulose microfibers align without hesitation according to the direction of the pressure on the wood, and thus a completely new material is created, the properties of which cannot be compared with the original ones.
Many times stronger
Tests have shown that superwood is up to ten times stronger and more durable than the original raw material, giving it properties, comparable to But it has another advantage over it – it is significantly lighter. Lightness combined with surprising strength can thus become a turning point in many fields of industrial production.
It can even fly into space
Experts assume that it will be possible to use the advantages of such material not only in the already mentioned construction, but also in the automotive industry and even in aviation or space explorationwhere every gram saved is very welcome.
Renewable supermaterial
What next? While the production of steel, concrete and other materials is highly energy-intensive and means the production of a large volume of greenhouse gases, the basis of superwood is a renewable raw material and even ready-made modified material can rightly be considered a so-called sustainable raw material. Additionally, during its growth, the primary tree produces oxygen and stores carbon in its structures, absorbed from carbon dioxide. In doing so, it effectively requires it from circulation in the atmosphere throughout its existence. So superwood definitely has its potential and may well become the main material of the future.
