Material

Wood

Wood is an organic natural growing composite material.

Long unidirectional cellulose (a naturally occurring thermoplastic polymer) fibres compose the reinforcement; hemicellulose (a short non-cellulosic carbohydrate polymer) is the matrix; and lignin (another polymer) is the organic "glue" which stiffens the wood. All are produced by photosynthesis and biosynthetic pathways.

Properties depend on density (higher density, higher strength), imperfections of the wood (e.g. knots in the wood can decrease the tensile strength), and strongly on the directions considered within the material.
Listing
Wood typePrice (DKK/kg)Density (kg/dm3)
Alder-
-
Ash-
-
Beech-
-
Birch-
-
Elm-
-
Larch-
-
Oak-
-
Spruce-
-
Pine-
-
Pear-
-

Processed wood
Wood typePrice (DKK/kg)Density (kg/dm3)
Precompressed wood-
-

References Danish Technological Institute, Wood Technology
Danish furniture on-line
Wood Creates Environment
Photo Thomas Nissen (Computer graphics)
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