Scientists Create Artificial Wood That Is Water- and Fire-Resistant

Scientists Create Artificial Wood That Is Water- and Fire-Resistant

6 years ago
Anonymous $oIHRkISgaL

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientists-create-artificial-wood-that-is-water-and-fire-resistant/

A new lightweight substance is as strong as wood yet lacks its standard vulnerabilities to fire and water.

To create the synthetic wood, scientists took a solution of polymer resin and added a pinch of chitosan, a sugar polymer derived from the shells of shrimp and crabs. They freeze-dried the solution, yielding a structure filled with tiny pores and channels supported by the chitosan. Then they heated the resin to temperatures as high as 200 degrees Celsius to cure it, forging strong chemical bonds.