Architected Fire-resistant Wood

Over the past three decades, fire incidents have caused over 1.16 million deaths worldwide, with more than 80% in residential buildings. In the United States alone, 2023 recorded 1.39 million fires, causing 3,670 deaths and $23 billion in losses. Despite its combustibility, natural wood remains central to construction due to its abundance and aesthetics. Current fire-retardant coatings on wood only protect surfaces, degrade over time, and often use toxic halogenated compounds. Our research group aim to deliver a completely environment-friendly novel and robust solution: intrinsically fire-resistant architected wood structures fabricated via state-of-the-art additive manufacturing technology. 

Related Publications:

1. M. S. H. Thakur, C. Shi, J. D. Alpern, J.C. Grunlan, M. M. Rahman, Three-dimensional printing of Fire-resistant Wood Structures. Nature Communications Under Review.