In my inbox, New 'super wood' is 10 times stronger *LINK*

Re: In my inbox, New 'super wood' is 10 times stro

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

More is revealed about the process in a paper by the author in Nature, Feb 8 issue. The process success hinges on removal of an optimum amount of lignin with caustic and sulfite (typical pulping process). This step is easily done on wood chips, the basis of paper making. An economically attractive process for lignin removal in 2 x 10's is going to be more challenging. And then there is the need to mash 2 x 10's to compress the material. Hard to see how this step can be scaled to making 10,000 2 x 10's per shift. The product is claimed to be stable toward moisture.

When quoting strength the values are in strength per mass. Since the mass of this stuff is about 1/8 that of steel the strength numbers need to be scaled to compare a board of this stuff to an equivalent sized piece of steel. You will know if this process has merit if companies quickly license the technology for further development.

As Artie would say, "Very Eeenteresting!"

Re: In my inbox, New 'super wood' is 10 times stro

Barry Irby

Looks to me like it would lead to a new generation of sheet goods like OSB and structural components like glue lams and the various "popsicle stick" type beams more than modified 2 x 10's. That would allow smaller poorer quality trees to replace larger ones in the process.

Last night in my sleep, some thoughts crept in

Keith Newton

I don't suppose a brad or staple gun will work. Hand chopping mortises and tails would obviously not be very fun. While a tightbond glueline is stronger than regular wood, how will it rate with this? At least metals can be welded. Carbide circular blades should be able to hold up, but probably with a wider sharpness angle, and more power might be needed.

Seems like Ramsets , gussets and bolts might be a joinery option. Im wondering how well a router will cut it.

Re: Last night in my sleep, some thoughts crept in

DocJim

Agree with your questions. Since glue works primarily by interdigitating with wood cells wonder how that will be affected.

Is that how glue works? 

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Note: 910 is the original name for cyanoacrylate adhesive developed by Eastman Chemical Company (then part of Kodak).

There is clearly no penetrating effect interlocking of the components in the adhesive application illustrated. If we glue two pieces of wood together with this adhesive is a penetrating mechanical bond holding the wood together or simply adhesion? Adhesives all have "adhesive" properties, that is they stick with intermolecular forces independent of penetration and interlocking. Sticking wood together with Titebond is fundamentally no different than sticking it together with cyanoacrylate.

So, I asked someone from the adhesives lab at Virginia Tech the question of what holds wood together when it is glued. "Can't say" he replied" because the wood pieces will be held together by both adhesion and by penetration of the glue into the wood pores. But even in the absence of pores we could stick wood together by the same forces used to stick steel together.

Re: Is this a similar product?

Dave Bair

My lumberyard sells a product they call:

"ECOVANTAGE (Thermally Modified Southern Yellow Pine) - Match the refinement and elegance, the low maintenance and durability of exotic lumber with U.S. grown timber. EcoVantage thermally modifies Southern Yellow Pine with heat and steam to create enhanced natural wood low in maintenance and weather resistant. We offer StaTru thermally modified wood for deck structural systems."

no