An American company is offering a new wood-based product called ‘Superwood,’ which is said to have a strength-to-weight ratio up to ten times greater than steel, while being up to six times lighter.
Co-founded by scientist Liangbing Hu, a materials specialist, Investwood tested Hu’s recipe, developed in 2017, on nineteen different types of wood as well as on bamboo.
The recipe? The wood is boiled in a bath of water and selected chemicals. It is then hot-pressed to crush the cellulose, making it very dense.
According to the company, Superwood is up to 20 times stronger than ordinary wood; it is resistant to fungi and insects and has improved fire resistance. The company adds that ‘the goal is not to be cheaper than wood, but to be competitive with steel when production is scaled up.’