Revolutionizing the building industry with its unparalleled strength and sustainability, Superwood is poised to outlast steel and redefine the future of construction. Can this game-changing material live up to its lofty claims?
InventWood, a startup company, has made a groundbreaking claim that its ‘Superwood‘ material is stronger and lighter than steel, with 90 percent lower carbon emissions.
Superwood is a type of engineered wood product made from a combination of wood fibers and synthetic resin.
It is designed to mimic the appearance and durability of solid hardwoods while being more affordable and sustainable.
Superwood is often used for flooring, walls, and other interior design applications due to its water resistance and ease of installation.
This revolutionary material has the potential to substitute up to 80 percent of steel used globally and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 2 gigatons.
Key Benefits of Superwood
According to InventWood, its Superwood material boasts several key benefits, including:
Super wood is a type of advanced material that exhibits exceptional strength, stiffness, and toughness.
Developed by researchers at the University of Michigan, it has the potential to replace traditional materials like steel and aluminum in various industries.
Super wood's benefits include its high thermal stability, resistance to fatigue, and ability to withstand extreme temperatures.
Its applications range from construction and aerospace to automotive and consumer products.
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Up to 50 percent more tensile strength compared to steel
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Minimal expansion and contraction
- A Class A fire rating
These characteristics are crucial for architects who might consider using Superwood in their buildings. However, the industry’s cautious approach to new materials means that InventWood’s claims will need to be rigorously tested before they can be widely adopted.
A Breakthrough Process
The development of Superwood is based on a relatively simple process discovered by materials scientist Liangbing Hu in 2018. The process involves boiling wood in a mixture of lye and sodium sulfite, which are widely available compounds often used as additives in industrial food operations. Lu’s research paper found that this strategy has been universally effective for all species of lumber.
Liangbing Hu is a Chinese-American materials scientist and engineer.
He is currently the Minta Martin Professor of Engineering at the University of Maryland.
Hu's research focuses on energy storage, conversion, and utilization, with a particular emphasis on developing advanced battery technologies.
His work has led to significant improvements in lithium-ion battery performance and safety.
According to his university profile, Hu holds over 100 patents and has published more than 300 papers in leading scientific journals.
A Slow Start
While InventWood claims to have secured $15 million in Series A funding, the company is taking a cautious approach to its launch. For now, it plans to focus on selling Superwood as a decorative material, rather than structural beams. The company’s CEO, Alex Lau, stated that they are currently focused on ‘skin applications‘ and plan to expand their operations over time.
The Road Ahead
InventWood’s success will depend on gaining the confidence of architects and engineers, a process that will require years of testing and validation. As with all startups, it is one thing to build prototypes on paper – now they must demonstrate their product’s capabilities in real-world applications. The industry’s history of untested products and exaggerated claims makes it challenging for new materials to gain traction. However, if Superwood can deliver on its promises, it has the potential to revolutionize the building industry and transform our cities.
- futurism.com | Startup Claims Its Superwood Is Stronger Than Steel
