The engineered wood designed to beat steel and concrete

The article discusses the development of SUPERWOOD, an engineered timber created by Maryland-based InventWood to rival steel and concrete in construction. By restructuring cellulose fibers at the molecular level, SUPERWOOD becomes 12 times stronger and 10 times more durable than natural wood. This innovation builds on research from the University of Maryland, which highlighted the exceptional strength of cellulose nanocrystals in plants—stronger than carbon fiber but underutilized due to wood’s porous structure. Instead of inventing new synthetic materials, InventWood enhances wood’s natural properties, making it a sustainable, fire-resistant, and carbon-negative alternative for the construction industry, which currently contributes 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The manufacturing process of SUPERWOOD involves two key steps: a chemical treatment that modifies lignin and removes hemicellulose (the natural “glue” in wood), followed by hot-pressing to densify the wood by collapsing its cell walls. This densification increases the wood’s density up to four times