Wood innovations: Emerging uses of forest products
From creating better sunscreens to disrupting the trade of illegally harvested timber, agency scientists push the boundaries of the wood product sector.
Lignin-based materials
Petroleum-based “inks” used in 3D printers could soon become greener. Agency scientists are testing how blending these inks with lignin resins—renewable polymers derived from wood—affects their performance and price. Initial results indicate blended inks are better for the environment and cost less to produce than ones made fully of petroleum.
A molecule found in wood can block ultraviolet rays, say agency scientists and partners, and could replace less environmentally friendly compounds found in sunscreen. Lignin may actually absorb ultraviolet rays better after it’s exposed to sun—setting it apart from current sunscreen components that break down after exposure—and it doesn’t harm coral reefs.
Who doesn’t love fresh avocados―especially when sustainable packaging can keep them fresher, longer? Agency researchers suggest adding wood-derived fibers to food packaging can reduce plastic use while improving shelf life.
Crime prevention
Forest Service scientists help disrupt the international trade of illegally harvested wood— conserving threatened resources and increasing the value of legally harvested wood—with DNA barcodes, population genetics, and other innovative methods. Additionally, agency-produced field manuals assist inspectors as they scrutinize the anatomy of imported and exported timber.
Tree DNA “fingerprinting” technologies from agency scientists can identify where timber originated from, sometimes down to the stand. These technologies provide admissible evidence in court and help law enforcement officers crack down on illegal harvesting in national forests.
Charcoal manufacturers misrepresenting the origin and species of trees in their product is linked to illegal harvest—and agency scientists tracking fraud in the charcoal industry are helping ensure sustainable supply chains and trust from buyers. Their work joins a body of other studies scrutinizing the nation’s forest product supply chain.
Wood preservation
Forest Service researchers working with federal partners are testing if water-resistant coatings can make hardwood trees into suitable decks for military trailers. Current decks are made of naturally water-resistant tropical trees, which are sometimes unsustainably harvested. Plus, using hardwood trees creates a new market for domestically harvested species.
Agency researchers routinely assess the state and soundness of historic ships visited by tourists, including the USS Cairo in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
By working with Major League Baseball and university partners, agency scientists helped determine which tree species make durable yet flexible baseball bats. Breaking bats can be a problem at baseball games, as pieces can splinter and fly into the infield or crowd. And the most common species used in bat making—white ash—is threatened by a pest decimating ash trees across eastern states. The research team found yellow birch passed their tests for durability, flexibility, and performance, allowing balls to fly over the fence and bats to stay in one piece.
Any private U.S. citizen can send an unknown wood sample to the agency’s Forest Product Lab for identification. Here, scientists use hand lenses and microscopes to observe the sample’s cellular structure and pinpoint its genus.
