InventWood, an emerging sustainable materials company out of North Carolina State University, has launched its newest innovation, Superwood, which they say is stronger than steel. This new wood, developed to provide superior structural strength, is set to turn the construction and materials industries on their heads.
Superwood is created through a unique process that involves treating timber with chemicals to eliminate lignin—a natural polymer that provides wood with its rigidity. After treatment, the timber is severely compressed to decrease the volume of the timber by about 80%. The process results in Superwood being thinner than the original timber. It induces internal hydrogen bonding in the material—which greatly improves its strength.
Alex Lau, co-founder and executive chairman of InventWood, described the major applications for Superwood, with an emphasis on military deployments. He proposed that this revolutionary substance be used in building mobile shelters for troops on the battlefront. He candidly stated that they have not yet tried to bomb it. This absence of performance testing goes on to leave its durability under such extreme conditions untested.
As for wood-eating pests, Superwood has shown outstanding durability in this regard as well, Lau said. By the end of 2022, InventWood had perfected its production process. What used to take over a week can now happen in just a few short hours! Lau stressed that sometimes you can literally massage the wood. This technique aids in pushing out air and small irregularities, creating a denser and stronger material in the process.
Lau is proud of the progress accomplished with Superwood. He explains it’s not intended to replace any engineered wood products on the market. InventWood hopes to eventually begin using other species of poplar trees as feedstock for Superwood. Lau said that adding bamboo into the mix might be possible down the line. The company is intent on advancing the broad adoption of wood products. What’s more is that while these materials are good at sequestering carbon, they do so for hundreds of years.
According to Dr. Morwenna Spear, a research fellow at Bangor University’s BioComposites Centre, the process behind Superwood technology is “very promising.” She said she would like to see more empirical studies to prove its claims about strength and durability.
“I’d want to see some data coming from them about that.” – Morwenna Spear
During testing, Superwood exhibited potential as a fire-resistant material, increasing its attractiveness for a range of applications even beyond the climate change arena. Lau hopes that this new, cutting-edge product can change the way we think about wood products in contemporary construction.
InventWood has already made impressive progress toward producing Superwood. Industry experts agree these materials would dramatically improve sustainability and resource efficiency, minimizing cost and carbon footprints. Professor Michael Ramage raised questions about practical considerations, particularly regarding insurance and mortgage rates for buildings constructed from new materials like Superwood.
“Is the mortgage the same rate as a mortgage on a concrete building? Is the insurance the same price?” – Prof Ramage
Ramage was keen to focus on the buzz around new materials. He admitted, more traditional materials such as concrete still have a huge role to play.
“We’re always going to need concrete in the ground for foundations.” – Michael Ramage
Superwood’s potential stretches much further than military use. Its impressive strength ensures a reliable and durable build that is perfect for custom furniture or home-building ventures. Dr. Spear noted that a lot of contemporary furniture is made from particle board, which is produced from recycled timber. Innovations such as Superwood would be big innovations in how we see and use these materials.
“So much of our furniture is made… of particle board – a huge proportion of that comes from recycled timber.” – Dr Spear
Lau is hopeful about the future of Superwood and other technologies like it. He thinks that breakthroughs in material science will make more ecologically friendly ways to build a reality. Further, these concrete improvements are sure to advance our broader environmental equity goals.
“It’s really an efficient way to draw down carbon from the atmosphere.” – Alex Lau