Volcanic Wood

Volcanic wood is a marvelous material, though the name is a misnomer, given that any wood or wood-like plant cannot grow under the conditions common to areas of active volcanism, however through volcanic process this special material forms.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Volcanic wood is a super-hard wood, measuring one-fifth its original thickness, three times denser, and eleven times stronger than ordinary wood, making it as strong as steel. Both the natural and manufacturing processes remove lignin (a cellulose binding polymer), but leaving the cellulose mostly intact, creating more space. Pressure squeezes the cellulose (nanofibers) together until they interlock, giving volcanic wood its natural properties.

In addition, volcanic wood carries a secondary property that makes it especially valuable in the space age, it is an effective material for blocking nearly all alpha and beta radiation, as well as significantly reducing gamma radiation. When paired with other materials, it becomes a central component to some space construction projects.

Origin & Source

Initially discovered by accident after the explosive decompression of an immense vesicle – a bubble suspended in flows of hardened basaltic rock – which when drained revealed the remains of a burned forest transformed via the processes of volcanism (heat, pressure, and volatile gases) and ordinary sea water, into what became known as volcanic rock.

Evidence indicates this exceptionally rare natural process to be the confluence of several factors including a coastal forest near a lava flow, which must by necessity sweep a portion of the forest into a central area, initially safe from the heat of the flow, followed by a rise in tides or waves, or some other oceanic event, to fill the safe forest) with water, keeping the trees from burning, persisting long enough to form a large vesicle. Afterward, the lava flow continues, surrounding and burying the encased forest, under ever increasing pressure and heat, thus transforming the living trees into volcanic wood.

History & Usage

History

Before the discovery of steel technology, in the early days after its discovery, volcanic wood was known for its exotic appearance, and impressive strength and capacity for spanning distances and supporting loads far greater than conventional wood, stone, or other materials of the day. However, with only a single source in those early days, it quickly became exorbitantly expensive to obtain, climbing to be one of the single most expensive materials to obtain, thus only the wealthiest clans utilized it in their construction, often to great effect in conspicuous installations, with elaborate carvings or paintings applied.

Another early use included small remnants shaped into jewelry, set in larger jewelry pieces, or sometimes crafted into lightweight daggers and knives, which were particularly coveted. Passing these blades down from one generation to the next within a clan’s bloodline was common, and to lose such a desired brought great shame upon the individual and their clan; or exceptional repute bestowed upon an individual winning such a blade in honorable combat.

It was not until much later, as technology advanced, that the material, became reproducible, even then, with the limited resources on the planet, native production is extraordinarily low. However, new resources have become available in recent centuries enabling the Ňisa Imperium to ramp up production.

Everyday use

Most utilized in construction where lightweight, strong, and rigid features are key. Especially, in orbital stations and platforms greatly reducing conveyance costs of building structures off world.

Type

Wood

Color

Burnt orange, naturally occurring
Burnt red & yellow, modern manufacturing

Density

1,890 kg/m³ (118 lb./ft.³)