Superwood is almost here, and by “here” we mean available to the public.
“What is Superwood?” you might be asking. Well, it’s a new material inspired by naturally occurring wood that is actually much stronger than that wood – 10 times the strength of steel, in fact. It’s the brainchild of researcher Dr. Liangbing Hu, founder of the company InventWood.
Hu’s project to create Superwood began more than a decade ago with a research grant for wood cellulose technology. In 2013 and 2014, the grant funded the creation of transparent paper made of wood fibers for increasing solar cell efficiency. That creation then led to the creation of see-through wood, an alternative to plastic and glass.
Then, a breakthrough paper was published in 2018 about wood that was stronger and lighter than steel. More research and more grants followed and in 2023, InventWood started building a manufacturing facility in Frederick, Md. This year marked the commercial launch of Superwood.
This material is still real wood, but it has been “reengineered at the molecular level to unlock its full potential” through a proprietary two-step process, according to InventWood. Changes include collapsing the porous structure of wood, making it stronger and stiffer, creating more dent resistance and more fire resistance.
Still, InventWood CEO Alex Lau said Superwood behaves like wood usually does, according to CNN.
“Unlike steel or synthetic composites, SUPERWOOD maintains wood’s natural beauty, warmth, and ability to sequester carbon, while offering dramatically improved performance and durability,” said InventWood. “It can outperform steel in many applications, yet remains sustainable, locally sourced, and versatile across wood species and even bamboo.”
An April press release from the company said that it was gearing up to begin its first shipments of Superwood this year. It said those initial shipments will be for external commercial and residential applications “requiring superior strength and climate resilience.”
Next year, the company plans to continue to scale up production and to begin offering Superwood for internal applications such as flooring and home furniture. Lau said that Superwood furniture isn’t expected to break down like other furniture with metal joints.
Per the company website its Maryland facility is currently capable of producing over one million square feet of SUPERWOOD annually. It’s production capacity for 2025 is already fully allocated and availability for new orders is expected next year.
“Initially, SUPERWOOD is competitively priced against premium hardwoods, positioned as a high-end, sustainable material,” the company explained. “As our production scales up to over 30 million square feet annually, we anticipate achieving cost parity with conventional building materials such as steel.”
InventWood has also touted its U.S.-based production as a way to build up a material supply chain that is not dependent on imports in “an era where America’s reliance on imports of steel, aluminum and other materials is of national concern.” The company said “this approach ensures quality control while supporting American jobs and reducing transportation and supply chain risks.”