Chinese scientists have developed a new synthetic material that is fire-resistant, mold-resistant, and can withstand a thousand-fold compression.
According to research published in the scientific journal Cell Reports, the new material maintains long-term flexibility at temperatures ranging from -40 to 50°C and is non-flammable when exposed to open flames at temperatures between 400 to 500°C.
New synthetic material developed by China. (Photo: Xinhua).
Tests have also shown that it has a mold resistance rate of up to 100% at room temperature for 75 days, with humidity around 90%, while untreated wood is completely infected with mold on the surface.
To create this special synthetic material, a research team from Hainan University and Southwest Minzu University soaked low-density balsa wood with a thickness of 2 to 5 mm in an alkaline liquid mixture at 100°C for 12 hours to remove hard lignin (a high molecular weight substance with an amorphous structure) from its cell walls.
They then filled the wood with a modified polyacrylamide-based hydrogel, which provides the material with excellent flexibility, moisture retention, and fire resistance.
The research also indicates that it can withstand a thousand-fold compression with a bending angle of 180 degrees or undergo vacuum dehumidification at -60°C for 24 hours.
Scientists believe that with an easily industrializable process, this new synthetic material will have significant potential applications in construction, medical devices, and stress sensors.
