2025 AIChE Annual Meeting

(82c) Natural Lignification Inspired Super-Hard Wood-Based Composites

Authors

Ben Xu - Presenter, Northumbria University
Yuxiang Huang, Chinese Academy of Forestry
Kaixin Jiang, Northumbria University
Kirsten Dyer, ORE Catapult
Daihui Zhang, , Chinese Academy of Forestry
Xuehua Zhang, University of Alberta
Yanglun Yu, Chinese Academy of Forestry
The growing demand for high-strength, durable materials capable of enduring extreme environments presents a significant challenge, particularly in balancing performance with sustainability. Conventional materials such as alloys and ceramics are non-renewable, expensive, and require energy-intensive production processes. Here, we design and develop super-hard wood-based composites (WBCs) inspired by the meso-scale homogeneous lignification process intrinsic to tree growth. This innovative hybrid structure is achieved by leveraging the infusion of low-molecular-weight phenol formaldehyde resin into the cell walls of thin wood slices, followed by a unique multi-layer construction and high-temperature compression. The resulting composite exhibits remarkable properties, including a Janka hardness of 24,382 N and a Brinell hardness of 40.7 HB, along with exceptional anti-piercing performance. The created super-hard, sustainable materials address the limitations of non-renewable resources while providing enhanced protection, structural stability and exceptional resilience. This WBCs approach aligns with UN SDGs by offering extra values for improving personal safety and building integrity across various engineering applications.