Reconstructed wood with high water stability from bark cellulose and corncob lignin

Natural wood has been highly valued for thousands of years due to its excellent strength, low density, and ease of processing. However, its poor water stability, which leads to swelling and deformation, limits its competitiveness. In response, we designed a reconstructed wood through a process involving pretreatment, TEMPO oxidation, lignin self-assembly, lignin melting, and densification. In this material, cellulose serves as the skeleton, while lignin with a phenylpropyl structure acts as both a filler and binder. The resulting wood exhibits outstanding water stability, with no changes after 60 days of water immersion and a water absorption rate as low as 8.32 %. This stability is achieved through the densification of lignin, which is enhanced by lignin melting and pressure during self-assembly. The reconstructed wood not only offers excellent water stability but also boasts superior UV resistance and thermal stability. Additionally, it can be hot-pressed into straws within a mold, providing better water stability and tensile strength compared to paper straws. This reconstructed wood, made from natural wood and corncob, is biodegradable and environmentally friendly, offering a new approach to wood water stability strategies.