Hacking Balsa to Make it Stronger
Balsa wood has long been revered for its strength and lightweight composition, two properties that make it ideal for building model structures and airplanes. Researchers from the US and China have managed to make balsa even stronger and more useful. They’ve found a way to change its structure, turning it into a carbon sponge that’s strong enough to withstand repeated mechanical strain, but light enough to sit atop a dandelion gone to seed.
Using common chemicals like lye and hydrogen peroxide, the scientists burned the hemicellulose and lignin fibers that make up balsa’s rectangular cell walls. Then they incinerated the …read more