SUPERWOOD - What is it and where can I get it?
After a few recent articles, SUPERWOOD has blown up in popularity seemingly overnight! So what is it?
The short answer is that it’s densified wood with tensile strength stronger than steel. After reading that, you might be thinking, “Really? Wood that’s stronger than steel?”. To that I would say, yes, really.
All the natural characteristics of wood that we’ve come to love are still there. The look, color, texture, aesthetic, it’s all there! With the added benefits of being resistant to fire, rot, pests, humidity, and weather.
While not available immediately, a rough expectation is to see it on the market (via intectural), later this year.
Super Sustainability
Based on research done at Inventwood, SUPERWOOD has the capacity to substitute 80% of the steel used globally while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 2 gigatons.
These emissions are heavily tied to the production of more traditional building materials, like steel. The creation of SUPERWOOD generates 90% lower carbon emissions than steel! On top of that, it can be made from discarded and underutilized wood.
Information age to the… wood age?
In a time where every week features some incredible new technological innovation, it seems counterintuitive that the latest and greatest is wood, right?
Let's do a surface level breakdown of what SUPERWOOD actually is.
At the heart of SUPERWOOD is cellulose, a naturally abundant, renewable polymer found in the cell walls of plants. Cellulose has incredible strength—pound for pound, it’s stronger than steel—but in natural wood, it’s embedded in a matrix of lignin and hemicellulose, which limits its potential.
The first step in making SUPERWOOD is chemically removing most of the lignin, the substance that binds wood fibers together and gives wood its color and rigidity. This process softens the wood, makes it lighter and more flexible, and preserves the aligned cellulose fibers.
After partial lignin removal, the wood is compressed under heat and pressure. This step: collapses the cellular structure - packing the cellulose fibers tightly together, increases the wood’s density, and creates strong hydrogen bonds further reinforcing the material.
The end result is a dense, compact material that retains the beauty and feel of wood, with added mechanical properties comparable to steel or titanium alloys.
What’s next?
The sky is the limit! The construction and design possibilities with this material are astronomical.
The intectural team couldn't be more excited for what this means for the future of sustainable building. A huge congratulations is owed to the InventWood team for such a remarkable accomplishment. Here’s to creating a more sustainable and exciting future for us all.