Authors: O.N. Novikov, E.Yu. Van, V.G. Mikhailov

Title of the article: Study of swelling of wood as a metamaterial

Year: 2026, Issue: 3, Pages: 47-56

Branch of knowledge: 2.6.7. Technology of inorganic substances

Index UDK: 630.812

DOI: 10.26730/1999-4125-2026-3-47-56

Abstract: The report is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of swelling of wood as a porous material. Research in this area is relevant for calculating the behavior of wood as a structural material, for targeted modification of wood to obtain new composites and the use of wood as a metamaterial, including in electronics. A mathematical model of wood swelling under the action of capillary forces has been developed. Equations are derived in which the morphological and physico-chemical properties of wood are related to the value of the volumetric swelling coefficient. Based on experimental data, using the model, the values of the surface tension of wood in the tangential and radial directions are determined. Anisotropy in the radial and tangential directions is found. The model as a whole provides a phenomenological description of the process. The surface tension of organic swelling agents is close in magnitude. Whereas the dielectric constant has a wide range of values and is the second significant factor determining the amount of swelling. The dependence on surface tension is nonlinear. The role of dielectric constant in swelling is revealed. The linear correlation in the equations of dependence of the swelling coefficient on the dielectric properties of the swelling agent confirms the role of permittivity. The material is characterized by anisotropy in the magnitude of the dielectric constant and exhibits resonator properties in an alternating electric field. The presence of two biopolymers in the wood structure with very different properties, in particular the dielectric constant, defines wood as a composite, in the volume of which surfaces are formed at the boundary of phases with different polarities. At the same time, shielding these charges with salts reduces the strength and affects swelling. The strength is reduced, which means that the influence of electric charges is significant. Wood can be attributed to natural metamaterials or their predecessor. Studies of the properties of wood as an anisotropic dielectric with periodic morphology can be used in biomimetics to create new nature-like functional metamaterials with a given set of properties.

Key words: wood swelling swelling swelling agent capillary forces pressure swelling dielectric constant metamaterial

Receiving date: 30.05.2026

Approval date: 15.06.2026

Publication date: 27.08.2026

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