InventWood is on the Verge of Mass-Producing Wood Stronger than Steel

It may sound like science fiction, but it originates from a lab in Maryland. In 2018, Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, developed a method to transform regular wood into a material stronger than steel. At first, it appeared to be another eye-catching discovery that might never leave the lab.

“People kept approaching him,” said Alex Lau, CEO of InventWood. “He thought, ‘This is incredible, but I’m a university professor, and I’m not sure how to move forward with it.‘”

Instead of giving up, Hu spent the following years improving the technology, cutting down the production time from over a week to just a few hours. Eventually, it was ready for commercialization, and he licensed the technology to InventWood.

The startup will begin producing its first batches of Superwood this summer.

Focus on Skin Applications with Plans to Tackle Building Core and Carbon Impact

“Currently, from this unique commercial plant — which is smaller in scale — we’re concentrating on skin applications,” Lau explained. “Eventually, we aim to reach the core of the building. Concrete and steel make up 90% of the carbon impact in building construction.“

To construct the factory, InventWood secured $15 million in the initial close of its Series A funding round. The round was led by the Grantham Foundation, with contributions from Baruch Future Ventures, Builders VC, and Muus Climate Partners, the company revealed exclusively to TechCrunch.

InventWood’s Superwood begins with standard timber, primarily made up of cellulose and lignin. The objective is to enhance the cellulose in the wood. “Cellulose nanocrystals are actually stronger than carbon fiber,” Lau explained.

The company uses “food industry” chemicals to alter the wood’s molecular structure, Lau said, and then compresses it to strengthen the hydrogen bonds between the cellulose molecules.

How Extra Bonds Make It 10 Times Stronger

“We could densify the material by 4x, and you might assume it would be four times stronger due to the increased fiber. But in reality, it’s about 10 times stronger because of the additional bonds that are formed,” Lau explained.

The company claims the result is a material with 50% greater tensile strength than steel and a strength-to-weight ratio that’s 10 times superior. It is also Class A fire rated, meaning it’s highly flame-resistant, and resistant to rot and pests. When impregnated with some polymer, it can be stabilized for outdoor use, such as siding, decking, or roofing. Lau mentioned that InventWood’s initial products will focus on facade materials for commercial and upscale residential buildings.

Compressing the material also enhances its color. “It results in a look similar to richer, tropical hardwoods,” he added.

In the end, InventWood intends to use wood chips to produce structural beams in various sizes that won’t require any finishing. “Picture your I-beams looking like this,” Lau explained, showing a sample of Superwood. “They’re stunning, resembling walnut or ipe. These are the natural colors; we haven’t added any stain.”

Read the original article on: Techcrunch

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