Super Wood Could Replace Steel

Here's a really cool story on "super wood". It's interesting that the process works with balsa wood which has the lightest density of any wood. It's like they are compressing the spongy-ness out of the wood which makes it super strong. Cool stuff. Very useful if it's cost efficient:

eng.umd.edu...

That's what she said.

(the girl who wrote the article, FYI)

a reply to: dfnj2015

I do not see it being cost efficient. I spend $40 for a number 2 pine 1x12 @ 16'.

I pay about $1 a pound for structural steel.

I have not run the numbers, but I do not see $200 (or more) for super wood replacing soft woods, hard woods, or structural steel.

a reply to: dfnj2015

From the story.

Photonic paper for improving solar efficiency by 30%? If that is possible (true), and if I am understanding this correctly, this could be HUGE.

They previously made a range of emerging technologies out of nanocellulose related materials: (1) super clear paper for replacing plastic; (2) photonic paper for improving solar cell efficiency by 30%; (3) a battery and a supercapacitor out of wood; (4) a battery from a leaf; (5) transparent wood for energy efficient buildings; (6) solar water desalination for drinking and specifically filtering out toxic dyes. These wood-based emerging technologies are being commercialized through a UMD spinoff company, Inventwood LLC.

eng.umd.edu...

a reply to: dfnj2015

Always sounds great at this stage.

Then it either disappears ... or is mind boggling expensive because of profits from the patent ... or it will be stolen by the military and classified.

We should be so far in advance of where we are but GREED gets in the way.

P

It would probably be better for some applications, but for some things, I would prefer metal. You can weld metal to make things, sometimes that is stronger than you could get from the super wood utilizing bolts. Also, the wood would burn, like I said for some things it might be better but not that many.

a reply to: dfnj2015


...and all of this time, I thought "Superwood" was a comic book by Jay and Silent Bob.

who knew?

My evening is now validated.

a reply to: FlukeSkywalker

OMG, you are talking about an erection. Your joke went right over my head.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

I imagine just knowing it exists might lead to newer processes that are more cost efficient. Heck, make Monsanto can genetically engineer trees to grow this dense. You might even combine genetic engineering with 3D printing technologies and have factory parts grow on trees!!

a reply to: dfnj2015
Sounds good but not likely to replace regular wood products or even steel products in a while, till the prices go down and the process is cheaper that is.

Also I can see it replacing steel, but not in a long time, if they can get it to not be so combustible, which is a possibility, it is lighter then steel, and this new super wood is lighter then even regular wood, and contrary to popular believe steel that steel does not break as easy as wood. True, but it bends and fatigues a lot, and even under its own weight over time it collapses under its own weight and from metal fatigue, like a piece of metal bend back and forth to much, it does come apart.

Wood more or less does the same thing, but not to the extent that steel would, and also they did say it becomes 5 times thinner during the process. Even regular 2x4's if done right have a strength that can match or outperform steel in certain structures and combinations of structures. So ya, in time as prices go down, its not a complete impossibility that this super wood would and can replace a lot of other things.

So ya, in time, even as it is now, as described in the link. It could change things a lot, not to mention all the other uses it may have other then for structural building.

I would prefer metal.

a reply to: dfnj2015

I based my cost analysis on this alone. . .
"The compression makes the wood five times thinner than its original size."
I did not include the labor aspect of the compression.

I think it is a bit wistful to believe you can program a tree to machine a part by genetics. But I am not a geneticist.
Do not get me wrong, I think this is really cool. But I have concerns.

originally posted by: galadofwarthethird

The ignition point would be a major factor. I did not see a lighter factor in the sourced link, the density alone would account for more weight, not less.
I do not agree with your structural analysis of steel (or wood), but look forward to you showing something to defend your position.

edit on 10-2-2018 by randomtangentsrme because: Reasons

originally posted by: dfnj2015
Here's a really cool story on "super wood". It's interesting that the process works with balsa wood which has the lightest density of any wood. It's like they are compressing the spongy-ness out of the wood which makes it super strong. Cool stuff. Very useful if it's cost efficient:

eng.umd.edu...

originally posted by: FlukeSkywalker
That's what she said.

(the girl who wrote the article, FYI)

LOL, A mere 20yrs ago I could have made a fortune without getting out of bed.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: randomtangentsrme

I imagine just knowing it exists might lead to newer processes that are more cost efficient. Heck, make Monsanto can genetically engineer trees to grow this dense. You might even combine genetic engineering with 3D printing technologies and have factory parts grow on trees!!

Yeah then they can grow me a rump roast and a couple tenderloins.

a reply to: burgerbuddy

That's why they call them family jewels!

Very interesting but I'll take the role of cynic. There is nothing we humans discover or manipulate that doesn't have negative side effects that cause larger problems than the original ones they were intended to solve.

/cynic

in a fire steel bends and sags.

in a fire engineered wood beams have to burn through before they fail.
the char on the outside act as insulation till the beam fails. add fire proof drywall over the wood beam and you add time to fail.
and if painted with a good fire proof paint wood will take 3 to 4 times the fire.

i worked in the mining industry and have held up massive slabs of rock with wood beams.
and seen old mining timbers still holding up rock long after a steel beam would have rusted away.

in this photo you can see a wood beam still holding up sagged steel beams after a fire.
www.jrosecarpentry.co.uk...

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Ha! A spelling error I think, I don't think I was trying to write ignition. I could scroll up and see what i was trying to say, but that would take a second or two. Which were taken by me writing this reply post.