Maryland-based startup InventWood is set to mass-produce the first batches of ‘Superwood,’ a new material made of modified timber that’s stronger than regular barky stems, and even stronger than steel. It’s set to go on sale later this year.
Editor’s note: Readers often ask us for follow-ups on memorable stories. This article was originally published way back in February 2018, and has been re-edited and updated with new information current as of May 2025. Enjoy!
University of Maryland materials scientist Liangbing Hu first devised the material with a ‘densification process’ back in 2018. TechCrunch noted that this gives it a strength-to-weight 10 times better than steel.
The resulting Superwood is also resistant to fire, weathering, and pests. Hu has since fine-tuned the production process so it can be manufactured at scale in hours rather than weeks, and licensed the technology to InventWood. The company raised US$15 million to build a factory, and will ship its first batches of the material out of there this Northern Hemisphere summer.
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https://newatlas.com/materials/superwood-stronger-steel-inventwood/