Today, there are two main ways to give wood a curved shape. The first relies on treatments that require significant amounts of energy and can alter the material’s mechanical properties, reducing its durability. The second is the approach used in plywood and laminated wood, where thin layers are bonded together with adhesives derived from the petrochemical industry. These glues have an environmental impact and make the final product non-biodegradable, complicating disposal at the end of its life cycle.
The Smart Materials research unit of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), led by Athanassia Athanassiou, the Institute’s Deputy Scientific Director, has been working on a third alternative. At the heart of the method is Cyrene, a green solvent derived from cellulose—the substance that forms plant cell walls. Mixed with water, it acts on the non-crystalline components of wood, namely lignin and hemicellulose, as well as on cellulose fibers, without altering their internal structure. The researchers investigated its effects at the molecular level.
The wood is impregnated with the solution, becoming temporarily softer and more flexible. It can then be bent into the desired shape and left to dry. As it dries, the new geometry is fixed in place. Once the process is complete, the material regains its original mechanical properties, and because no petrochemical substances are introduced, the finished product remains biodegradable. With a second treatment, the same piece can be returned to its original shape or reshaped into a different one.
So far, the experiments have focused on thin wood sheets between one and five millimeters thick, using species commonly employed in model making and woodworking. The primary material tested was linden wood, alongside balsa, Bahia walnut, okoumé, and ash. Processing larger components will require industrial-scale facilities.
According to the researchers, the starting point is simple: wood already possesses many of the qualities required of a modern construction material. It is strong, naturally insulating, and renewable. What it lacks is ease of shaping.
“Our method moves precisely in that direction,” explains Martina Nardi, a researcher in the Smart Materials group. “It allows wood to be bent sustainably and with low energy consumption, without compromising its mechanical properties.”
The method is currently undergoing the patenting process and is among the twelve projects selected for the BAITE Award 2026. Over the coming months, the research team will focus on identifying the sectors where curved wood is most in demand. According to IIT, the most promising applications include musical instrument manufacturing, children’s toys, furniture, and interior design.
The study is part of IIT’s Flagship Program, Technologies for Sustainability, coordinated by Athanassiou. The initiative brings together expertise from different areas of the Institute to help sustainable technologies reach the market.
“Rethinking renewable materials and adapting their properties to different applications through low-impact chemicals and energy-efficient processes is a concrete path toward a more sustainable future,” she explains.
The Italian Institute of Technology is also one of the organizations based within the Erzelli Science and Technology Park. On the hill, it operates its Center for Human Technologies, inaugurated in 2019, where researchers work on technologies for healthcare, rehabilitation, and human–machine interaction.
