Wood-metal composites as a sustainable resource for fiber composites

The project is based on the separation of functions approach. Wood is primarily the shaping material component, while the metal takes on stability requirements.

The product example for wood-metal composites selected in the project comes from the sports equipment & leisure sector. To date, hydrofoils (water wings) for surfing sports have been made almost exclusively from CFRP, GFRP and polyurethane. Similar to model aircraft construction, these hydrofoils are used as a buoyancy-generating element in various water sports.

The Chair of Wood Technology and Wood-based Bioeconomy is working with the company Woodcore to develop wood-metal composites that can compete with conventional hydrofoil components in terms of stability and property profile, are significantly less harmful to the environment and offer clear added value for the regional economy.

Woodcore would like to utilize its modern plant, expand its design knowledge and incorporate its own experience in the construction of sports equipment in order to open up new product areas. Woodcore sees an energy-saving, promising and challenging approach in the innovative processing of wood-metal composites into technically sophisticated free-form bodies.

The Chair sees great potential in the combination of wood and metal to replace critical materials. The processing of wood into functional cross-sections with a main shaping function is suitable as a material and requires research with regard to geometric limits, hygroscopic material behavior and durability. The project will develop concrete findings on structural-property relationships in relation to wood type, processability, fiber orientation and joining technology.

Contact person

Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Siwek

Christian Kaden (Woodcore)

Funding reference

© BMWK