#12
I read an interesting article about a "super density" wood that is chemically altered after harvesting to make boards bullet proof and 10 times stronger than the donor lumber. 

They say they can turn the lumber "clear" and shatter proof, though this is not optical clarity.  Apparently they are able to "collapse" the pores in the wood to make it denser.

I wonder if it is going to be available to woodworkers and what the application might be.  Certainly for flooring, but perhaps other applications.  

https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/bull...27.article

A way of turning natural wood into an ultra-dense material that is strong enough to stop a bullet has been developed by scientists in the US. The team behind it say it could be used as an eco-friendly yet high performance building material, or even as a new kind of body armor.

‘Our process enables the complete collapse of the voids and pits in natural wood, thus substantially reducing defects and leading to a significantly higher strength,’ says Liangbing Hu at the University of Maryland, US, who developed the ‘densified’ wood together with colleagues.
Their two-step process involves first boiling the wood in a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite to partially break down two major structural components – lignin and hemicellulose. Then the wood is mechanically pressed at 100°C, which squashes it into a dense layer of well-aligned cellulose nanofibres held together with hydrogen bonds. The process reduces the thickness by 80% but makes it 10 times tougher than natural wood. ‘The densified wood is as strong as steel, but six to seven times lighter, leading to a specific strength higher than almost all metals and alloys, even the lightweight titanium alloy,’ says Hu.
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#13
Probably "Known to the state of California" to cause cancer. What isn't.
Treat others as you want to be treated.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West.
24- year cancer survivor
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#14
(06-22-2020, 01:48 PM)lift mechanic Wrote: Probably "Known to the state of California" to cause cancer. What isn't.

Rest reassured neither chemical is listed on the Prop 65 compliance list from California.  I could find no wood species listed either.

https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/abou...osition-65
Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.  These chemicals can be in the products that Californians purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment. By requiring that this information be provided, Proposition 65 enables Californians to make informed decisions about their exposures to these chemicals.


Here is the whole list:
https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/pro...010320.pdf
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#15
(06-22-2020, 11:29 AM)Cooler Wrote: ‘Our process enables the complete collapse of the voids and pits in natural wood, thus substantially reducing defects and leading to a significantly higher strength,’ says Liangbing Hu at the University of Maryland, US, who developed the ‘densified’ wood together with colleagues.
Their two-step process involves first boiling the wood in a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfite to partially break down two major structural components – lignin and hemicellulose. 

Around most places, that's called paper-making.
Better to follow the leader than the pack. Less to step in.
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#16
(06-22-2020, 05:50 PM)MichaelMouse Wrote: Around most places, that's called paper-making.


Reminds me of laminate making. Wonder if they could start with thinner material, then squish to laminate thickness.
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#17
There are a ton of articles on this dating back to 2018. The process is indeed similar to making paper. The article linked above doesn't state that they add the same chemical that plexiglass is made from in the process. That's what makes it somewhat optically clear. Just Google densified wood + Liangbing Hu and you'll find more articles.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#18
(06-23-2020, 06:46 AM)AHill Wrote: There are a ton of articles on this dating back to 2018.  The process is indeed similar to making paper.  The article linked above doesn't state that they add the same chemical that plexiglass is made from in the process.  That's what makes it somewhat optically clear.  Just Google densified wood + Liangbing Hu and you'll find more articles.
I linked to one of those articles.  But this is the first I had heard of it.  Are there any applications in mind for this?  The one application that I can think of is wood flooring.  The more dense the wood, the better it holds up.  It is unclear to me if this "wood" would take stain, and what it does to the grain pattern of the wood.
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#19
If it’s strong enough to stop a bullet, wouldn’t want to use my good Forest tablesaw blade on it.
John
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#20
(06-23-2020, 08:03 AM)jstraw Wrote: If it’s strong enough to stop a bullet, wouldn’t want to use my good Forest tablesaw blade on it.

Yeah.  Probably rough on cutting tools, but not as rough as steel which it would possibly replace.
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#21
From invention to market takes time. They have to work out details on how to economically produce it, what would be the best cutting and fastening method, how does it behave to prolonged exposure to various environments and fluids, etc.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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high density wood


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