Super Wood: The Chemistry Reinventing Timber
Chemists are developing stronger, more innovative, and more sustainable wood that could soon be used in satellites, sensors, and transparent windows.
Wood has long been valued as a construction material. But it is often replaced by metals and composites due to its limited strength. But researchers can now develop Super Wood. They are developing methods to modify and strengthen wood at the molecular level, particularly by removing lignin, a structural polymer that binds wood fibers. Through this, we can actually enhance the strength of wood, making it a more challenging, more versatile material that rivals steel.
Transparent, Biodegradable Wood
At Kennesaw State University, Professor Bharat Baruah has created biodegradable transparent wood using egg whites and rice water instead of epoxy. By removing lignin and hemicellulose from balsa wood and infusing this natural mix, the material becomes translucent yet rigid.
It absorbs infrared light and provides better insulation, keeping interiors 5–6°C cooler than glass. When infused with silver nanowires, it becomes conductive, offering potential for wearable sensors and smart glass.
Turning Waste into Strength
The US military research organisation, DARPA, is leading the Waste Upcycling for Defense (WUD) project, which aims to convert waste cellulose from crates and cardboard into steel-strong boards. Removing lignin and pressing the fibers tightly enhances hydrogen bonding and durability.
The extracted lignin is reused as a hydrophobic, fire-resistant coating, improving longevity. Researchers hope to produce these boards directly on military bases for sustainable construction.
Self-Densified Wood
At Nanjing University, researchers Dafang Huang and Jie Li created self-densified wood through LiCl/DMAc swelling and controlled drying. The result is wood with nine times the tensile strength of untreated samples, uniform in all directions, making it suitable for load-bearing structures and even stronger nails.
Early Detection of Wood Degradation
At Kyoto University, Dr. Yoshikuni Teramoto developed a non-destructive method using mid-infrared ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to detect coating degradation before visible damage appears. It tracks chemical changes, such as carbonyl oxidation, enabling early maintenance and reducing costs. The team is working on portable devices for on-site diagnostics.
Sustainable Wood Use
Global timber demand could quadruple by 2050, warns the World Bank. Swiss researchers at Empa propose a “wood cascade” model, using wood first for large structures, then recycling it into smaller forms, and burning it only at the end of its life cycle. This approach maximizes its role as a carbon sink.
A Wooden Satellite
Japan has pushed wood innovation into orbit with LignoSat, a wooden satellite developed by Kyoto University and JAXA. This has been built from honoki wood, a traditional joinery material. This type of wood is known to prevent toxic re-entry debris and to allow internal antennas to function smoothly.
Though communication was lost, the team is building LignoSat-2, twice the size, to continue exploring wood’s potential in space.
From transparent and self-densified wood to recyclable composites and wooden satellites, chemistry is transforming one of humanity’s oldest materials into a sustainable marvel for the future, strong, intelligent, and environmentally conscious.
