Invention Reference Number
A new high-strength, high-wear-resistance engineered wood material, known as "superwood," offers a renewable, lightweight, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional bearing materials. This innovation enhances the performance of wooden bearings, enabling them to handle heavy-duty applications while maintaining sustainability.
Description
Traditional wooden bearings have been limited to light-duty use due to their low load-bearing capacity and poor wear resistance. By chemically treating and densifying natural wood, this process transforms it into "superwood," which exhibits significantly improved mechanical properties. The two-step process involves a chemical pre-treatment to remove lignin and hemicellulose, followed by hot-pressing to densify the structure. The result is a material that is dramatically stronger, with a tensile strength up to ten times higher than natural wood, and a work of fracture that surpasses common metals.
Benefits
- High Performance: Stronger and more durable than traditional wooden bearings.
- Eco-Friendly: Made from renewable materials with reduced environmental impact.
- Lightweight: Less dense than metals, contributing to energy efficiency in machinery.
- Versatility: Can be applied to various types of bearings and mechanical components.
Applications and Industries
- Thrust bearings, journal bearings, bushings, seals, and components of ball or roller bearings.
- Power generation
- Agriculture
- Food processing
- Other machinery-intensive fields requiring lightweight and eco-friendly bearing solutions.
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
