Reconstructing wood for next-generation biobased high-performance composites
Topic(s) : Material science
Co-authors :
A.Vahid MOVAHEDI-RAD (SWITZERLAND), Maximilian RITTER (SWITZERLAND), Robert Oswin KINDLER , Sophie Marie KOCH , Ingo BURGERT , Guido PANZARASAAbstract :
Wood is a renewable, CO2-storing natural material with widespread use in the construction sectors, thanks especially to its favorable mechanical properties, such as high specific strength and stiffness, making it widely used as a core material for advanced structural sandwich panels. Its unique structure makes it also suitable for developing advanced functional materials, such as membranes and nanogenerators [1]. Despite these advantages, compared to other engineering materials such as polymers and their composites wood has important disadvantages, e.g. swelling and shrinking as it takes up and loses moisture, and very low mechanical properties in the wet state [2, 3].
We report a novel, fully bio-based high-performance composite obtained by reconstructing wood, which developed via the delignification of poplar wood and relignification it with a lignin-contained solution. The physical and chemical properties of the reconstructed wood, especially its microstructure, were investigated using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence imaging, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The microstructure of reconstructed wood displayed completely deformed cell walls, which mainly formed cohesive interfaces between cell walls. In addition, its mechanical properties were evaluated by conducting tensile experiments. It was observed that the reconstructed wood exhibited significant superior mechanical properties compared to native wood and densified wood, which could reach a tensile strength of about 250 MPa and yield stress of 130 MPa. Such high mechanical performance, coupled with good deformability, provides a substantial capacity for energy dissipation prior to failure. In addition, this material provided a strong water resistance as identified by no considerable change in the thickness during the immersion in water. According to Ashby’s diagrams, the reconstructed wood surpassed the wood species region and is positioned in the zone that belongs to the engineering composites. Reconstructed wood, born from the essence of wood, holds promise for sustainable solutions in construction and manufacturing, meets the demands of a sustainable future.
Figure 1. Reconstructed Wood: Unlocking the potential of fully bio-based composites through the delignification and relignification for enhanced mechanical performance, paving the way for sustainable high-performance materials with promise in structural engineering and beyond.
We report a novel, fully bio-based high-performance composite obtained by reconstructing wood, which developed via the delignification of poplar wood and relignification it with a lignin-contained solution. The physical and chemical properties of the reconstructed wood, especially its microstructure, were investigated using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fluorescence imaging, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The microstructure of reconstructed wood displayed completely deformed cell walls, which mainly formed cohesive interfaces between cell walls. In addition, its mechanical properties were evaluated by conducting tensile experiments. It was observed that the reconstructed wood exhibited significant superior mechanical properties compared to native wood and densified wood, which could reach a tensile strength of about 250 MPa and yield stress of 130 MPa. Such high mechanical performance, coupled with good deformability, provides a substantial capacity for energy dissipation prior to failure. In addition, this material provided a strong water resistance as identified by no considerable change in the thickness during the immersion in water. According to Ashby’s diagrams, the reconstructed wood surpassed the wood species region and is positioned in the zone that belongs to the engineering composites. Reconstructed wood, born from the essence of wood, holds promise for sustainable solutions in construction and manufacturing, meets the demands of a sustainable future.
Figure 1. Reconstructed Wood: Unlocking the potential of fully bio-based composites through the delignification and relignification for enhanced mechanical performance, paving the way for sustainable high-performance materials with promise in structural engineering and beyond.