University of Maryland's engineering professors; Teng Li, a mechanical engineering professor and Liangbing Hu created a process to make wood stronger than titanium and metal alloys and it is six times lighter! The team modified the material and mechanical properties of natural wood to make it 10 times tougher and 11.5 times stronger. The process involves chemical and mechanical processing to alter the plant cell structures. Toughness refers to the durability of the material, whereas its strength depends on how much stress it can take. They see it a replacement in designing and manufacturing vehicles.
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature25476
https://www.engineering.com/Designer...-Titanium.aspx