Incredible bending of white oak ribs at Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock, Washington. Video by Luane Hanson.

Lignin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the wood polymer.
Lignin or lignen is a complex polymer of aromatic alcohols known as monolignols. It is most commonly derived from wood, and is an integral part of the secondary cell walls of plants[1] and some algae.[2] The term was introduced in 1819 by de Candolle and is derived from the Latin word lignum,[3] meaning wood. It is one of the most abundant organic polymers on Earth, exceeded only by cellulose. Lignin constitutes 30% of non-fossil organic carbon[4] and a quarter to a third of the dry mass of wood.[citation needed]

As a biopolymer, lignin is unusual because of its heterogeneity and lack of a defined primary structure. Its most commonly noted function is the support through strengthening of wood (xylem cells) in trees.[5][6][7]

Global production of lignin is around 1.1 million metric tons per year and is used in a wide range of low volume, niche applications where the form but not the quality is important. (END)

Note regarding lignin and wooden boatbuilding: When steam heated up to about 200 degrees, lignin releases it hold on wood thus allowing the boat builder greater flexibility to bend the wood until it cools off once again. Boat builders have to move fast when dealing with steamed wood so that it doesn’t freeze up on them during the process of bending.