Wood has been used as a building material for structures, tools, and weapons for hundreds of thousands of years. And while it is a natural resource, wood has undergone many changes as a material from its earliest uses in primitive weapons.
Engineered products like OSB expanded applications for wood in all types of construction. Cross-laminated timber took wood to new heights. Now, the next evolution of wood can be seen on the scientific horizon.
A group of researchers from Columbia University has created “digital wood” through the use of 3D-printing, while another group of researchers from several universities—including the University of Pennsylvania and Turkey’s Middle East Technical University—have created “metallic wood.”
See Also: An apiary for the sanctuary
In a study published by the researchers from Columbia University (bit.ly/2WKMFye), they explain how multicolor 3D printing is typically used for external color textures wrapped around a monomaterial core. What they have done, however, is 3D print a substance that, both internally and externally, resembles real wood.
The process included using a CNC mill to slice and image olive wood samples at 27-micrometer intervals. A total of 230 images were taken and then prepared for manufacturing on a voxel-capable 3D printer using a stochastic dithering algorithm. The resulting resin block printed from the machine resembled the original wooden block in both its external appearance and its internal color pattern.
Courtesy Columbia University.
More importantly than just replicating olive wood, the researchers say the workflow can be used in the digital replication of objects with complex internal patterns that are currently impossible to manufacture.
In a separate study, researchers created “metallic wood” that is not so much concerned with the look of wood, but with its density and cellular nature. Like the digital wood, metallic wood isn’t really wood at all. It is actually a nano-structured cellular material based on electroplated nickel, which has the strength of titanium, the density of water, and the porous cellular nature of natural materials like wood. This means the material is as strong as titanium, but four to five times lighter.
The improved strength comes from size-dependent strengthening of load-bearing nickel struts whose diameter is as small as 17 nanometers and whose strength is as high as eight gigapascals.
The process for creating the metallic wood starts with tiny plastic spheres, only a few hundred nanometers in diameter, suspended in water. The water is then slowly evaporated, which causes the spheres to settle and stack like cannonballs. The researchers then use electroplating to infiltrate the plastic spheres with nickel. The plastic is then dissolved with a solvent, leaving behind an open network of metallic struts that can be combined with other functional coatings.
Similar to wood, metallic wood has some areas that are thick and dense with the metal struts, while other areas are porous with air gaps. In fact, about 70% of metallic wood is empty space. These pores could be infused with other materials, such as anode materials, that would allow the metallic wood to be, say, a plane wing that also doubles as a battery.
Related Stories
AEC Tech | Feb 20, 2024
AI for construction: What kind of tool can artificial intelligence become for AEC teams?
Avoiding the hype and gathering good data are half the battle toward making artificial intelligence tools useful for performing design, operational, and jobsite tasks.
Sustainability | Nov 1, 2023
Researchers create building air leakage detection system using a camera in real time
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a system that uses a camera to detect air leakage from buildings in real time.
75 Top Building Products | Aug 7, 2023
Enter today! BD+C's 75 Top Building Products for 2023
BD+C editors are now accepting submissions for the annual 75 Top Building Products awards. The winners will be featured in the November/December 2023 issue of Building Design+Construction.
Resiliency | Aug 7, 2023
Creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain
As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with the heat. Here are several creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain.
AEC Innovators | Jun 15, 2023
Rogers-O'Brien Construction pilots wearables to reduce heat-related injuries on jobsites
Rogers-O'Brien Construction (RO) has launched a pilot program utilizing SafeGuard, a safety-as-a-service platform for real-time health and safety risk assessment. Non-invasive wearables connected to SafeGuard continuously monitor personnel to prevent heat exhaustion on jobsites, reducing the risk of related injuries. RO is the first general contractor to pilot this program.
Office Buildings | May 15, 2023
Sixteen-story office tower will use 40% less energy than an average NYC office building
This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 27, 2023
BD+C's 2023 Design Innovation Report
Building Design+Construction’s Design Innovation Report presents projects, spaces, and initiatives—and the AEC professionals behind them—that push the boundaries of building design. This year, we feature four novel projects and one building science innovation.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
Reinforced concrete walls and fins stiffen and shade the National Bank of Kuwait skyscraper
When the National Bank of Kuwait first conceived its new headquarters more than a decade ago, it wanted to make a statement about passive design with a soaring tower that could withstand the extreme heat of Kuwait City, the country’s desert capital.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India
Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India.
3D Printing | Apr 11, 2023
University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory unveils Shell Wall—a concrete wall that’s lightweight and freeform 3D printed
The University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory has unveiled a new product called Shell Wall—which the organization describes as the first lightweight, freeform 3D printed and structurally reinforced concrete wall. The innovative product leverages DART Laboratory’s research and development on the use of 3D-printing technology to build structures that require less concrete.