Successfully developed a composite material from super durable wood

According to research published in the physical science journal Cell Reports, the new material retains its flexibility for a long time at temperatures of -40 to 50°C and cannot ignite with a hot naked flame of 400 to 500°C.

New composite material developed by China.

Tests also show it to have a mildew resistance rate of up to 100% at room temperature for 75 days, with a humidity of about 90%, while untreated common wood is completely contaminated with surface mildew. .

To create this special composite, the team from Hainan University and Southwest Minzu University soaked low-density balsa wood with a thickness of 2 to 5 mm in a mixture of alkaline liquids at a temperature of 100 °C for 12 h to remove hard lignin (a macromolecular substance with amorphous structure) from its cell wall.

They then filled the wood with a modified hydrogel based on polyacrylamide, which gives the material excellent flexibility, moisture retention and fire resistance.

Research has also shown that it can withstand 1,000 times of bending at 180 degrees, or vacuum dehumidification at -60°C for 24 hours.

The scientists believe that with the process easy to industrialize, the new composites will have many potential applications in construction, medical devices and stress sensors.