- Researchers developed a plant-based solvent that temporarily softens wood without damaging its structure.
- The new method centers on Cyrene, derived from cellulose, and is environmentally friendly and biodegradable.
- Treated wood retains its mechanical properties after bending and can return to its original shape.
- The approach could expand wood's applications across multiple industries by improving its workability.
Researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology have developed a treatment that temporarily makes wood pliable using a plant-derived solvent. They describe it as a more sustainable way to bend wood without compromising its structure. The research group was coordinated by deputy scientific director Athanassia Athanassiou, and the findings were published in Materials Letters. Wood remains a sustainable, strong, biodegradable and affordable material, but its rigid structure makes it difficult to shape into curves without resorting to the chemicals required by other treatment methods.
Existing wood-shaping techniques generally fall into two categories. One consists of energy-intensive methods that alter the wood's mechanical properties and reduce its durability; the other comprises techniques used for plywood and laminated wood, which rely on petrochemical-derived adhesives. These adhesives generate pollution during production and render the final product non-biodegradable, complicating end-of-life disposal. The Italian Institute of Technology's new approach centers on Cyrene, a green solvent derived from cellulose, a compound found naturally in plants.
Environmental characteristics of the new technique
When mixed with water, the solvent penetrates the amorphous components of the wood, including lignin and hemicellulose, as well as the wood's own cellulose, without disrupting its internal structure.
Once the wood is permeated by the Cyrene-water solution, it becomes more flexible and easier to bend into the desired shape. After bending, the wood is dried, locking it into its new geometry without affecting the mechanical properties it had before treatment. Because the process requires no petrochemical additives, the shaped wood remains fully biodegradable. A second treatment can even restore the wood to its original shape or reshape it entirely. According to the relevant research paper, wood treated with a 50:50 Cyrene-water solution exhibited approximately 30% greater bending strain than wood treated with water alone.
This improvement allows it to bend and twist further before failure. Once dried, the mechanical strength of the treated wood is comparable to, or slightly higher than, that of untreated wood, and no changes in lignin content were detected.
Potential for expanded applications
The researchers tested the treatment on thin wood veneers ranging from 1 to 5 millimeters (0.04 to 0.2 inches) in thickness. They used species common in model-making and woodworking, with birch as the primary test material, alongside balsa, Brazilian walnut, okoumé and ash. The researchers noted that scaling the process up to larger wood blocks would require industrial facilities rather than laboratory-scale equipment. Martina Nardi, a researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology's Smart Materials unit, summed up wood's core appeal directly. She said wood's combination of strength, durability, insulating properties and natural origin makes it an important tool for mitigating climate change.
She emphasized the importance of developing sustainable methods to expand wood's workability, enabling its use in a growing range of applications without sacrificing its natural mechanical properties or biodegradability. The method is currently patent-pending, and the researchers plan further studies to determine which industries would benefit most. Potential candidates include musical instrument manufacturing, children's toys, furniture and interior design, all fields that could take advantage of a truly sustainable way to bend wood into new shapes.
The impact of plant-based solvents on wood processing
The research from the Italian Institute of Technology demonstrates the potential of plant-based solvents in wood processing, particularly with respect to sustainability. As environmental awareness grows, the ecological impact of conventional wood processing methods is coming under scrutiny. The new approach not only reduces reliance on petrochemicals but also preserves wood's biodegradability, which carries significant implications for mitigating climate change. Moreover, the technology's potential applications are broad, spanning musical instruments, toys, furniture and other industries, and could reshape production methods in these sectors while promoting sustainable development.