DOE OSTI · 1980728
Lightweight, strong, moldable wood via cell wall engineering as a sustainable structural material
Abstract
Turning wood into honeycombs Wood is an attractive material for structural applications, but it usually works best as boards or sheets. Xiao et al . have developed a process for engineering hardwood that allows these sheets to be manipulated into complex structures (see the Perspective by Tajvidi and Gardner). The key is to manipulate the cell wall structure by shrinking and blasting open the fibers and vessels by drying and “water-shocking” them. This process creates a window wherein the wood can be manipulated without ripping or tearing. Honeycomb, corrugated, or other complex structures are locked in once the wood dries. —BG
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
Xiao, Shaoliang, Chen, Chaoji, Xia, Qinqin, Liu, Yu, Yao, Yuan, Chen, Qiongyu, Hartsfield, Matt, Brozena, Alexandra, Tu, Kunkun, Eichhorn, Stephen J., Yao, Yonggang, Li, Jianguo, Gan, Wentao, Shi, Sheldon Q., Yang, Vina W., Lo Ricco, Marco, Zhu, J. Y., Burgert, Ingo, Luo, Alan, Li, Teng, Hu, Liangbing. 2021-10-22. Lightweight, strong, moldable wood via cell wall engineering as a sustainable structural material. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg9556
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.