前言
经济学人浓咖啡马拉松计划doing！第-90天。
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Hidden steel: the promise of ultra-hard wood
隐形钢：超硬木材的前景
Wooden tools were eclipsed by harder and more durable metal implements long ago.
长期以来，和硬度和耐用性都更强的金属器具相比，木制工具黯然失色。
But metals are not renewable; scientists are on the hunt for something that is.
但金属是不可再生的，科学家们正在寻找可再生的替代材料。
Teng Li, a researcher at the University of Maryland, wondered whether wood could be made strong enough to provide the solution.
马里兰大学的研究学者李腾探究的方案是，使用足够硬的木材作为替代品。
His recent report in Matter suggests that it can.
他近期发表于Matter的报告说明了该方案的可行性。
Mr Li used chemicals to remove a portion of wood’s structural compounds and compacted the remaining components, before heating, drying and oiling the residue.
首先使用化学物质脱去木材的部分结构化合物（木质素），然后压缩残留物，再对其进行加热、干燥和油处理。
（图源：科学网）
The end result was a material twice as hard as aluminium and nearly as hard as copper.
最终得到的材料硬度是铝的2倍，几乎接近铜的硬度。
It can be honed: when examined under a microscope, knives made from the treated timber were three times sharper than those made from steel.
可打磨：在显微镜下观察到，使用这种处理过的木材制作的刀具比钢刀还要锋利3倍。
Given that such blades are light, renewable and rustproof, wood may well be set for a comeback.
因为刀片质地轻、可再生、防锈，这种木材可能会卷土重来。
木头菜刀切到木头菜板上是什么质感？本是同根生，相煎何太急。
