Preservation of wood, compositions and methods thereof

• US 8,691,340 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apinee, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apinee, Inc.
• Inventors: Stark, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMERON, ERMA C
• Application Number:
  US13/142,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 427/297
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/30 characterised by the surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: B27K 3/08 Impregnating by pressure , e.g. vacuum impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: B27K 3/15 Impregnating involving polymerisation including use of polymer-containing impregnating agents macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials C08H; compositions of lignin-containing materials C08L97/02
• CPC Class Codes: B27K 3/343 Heterocyclic compounds

Abstract

The disclosure relates to compositions for wood preservation and methods of applying compositions for wood preservation. The compositions comprise nonionic surfactant mixtures and prepolymer. Compositions of nonionic surfactant mixtures and prepolymers can be used advantageously in methods to preserve wood by impregnation of the wood with preservatives at ambient atmospheric pressures.

Claims

1. A composition for preserving wood comprising:

a prepolymer comprising from 4 wt % to 20 wt % of the total composition; and

a nonionic surfactant mixture comprising alkylpolyglycosides and ethoxylated alcohols from 0.1 wt % to 1.0 wt % of the total composition;

wherein the pre-polymer has weight average molecular weight (MW_w) in the range of from 125 to 400 such that the pre-polymer impregnates wood with pressures from atmospheric to 15 psig.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pre-polymer comprises a phenol-formaldehyde prepolymer.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant mixture comprises monodecyl ether derivatives of linear alkoxylates and C12-C15 ethoxylated alcohols.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pre-polymer comprises a water soluble prepolymer in aqueous base.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pre-polymer has weight average molecular weight (MW_w) in the range of from 125 to 300 such that the pre-polymer impregnates the wood with pressures from atmospheric to 10 psig.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pre-polymer has weight average molecular weight (MW_w) in the range of from 125 to 200 such that the pre-polymer impregnates the wood with pressures from atmospheric to 5 psig.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pre-polymer has weight average molecular weight (MW_w) in the range of from 125 to 140 such that the pre-polymer impregnates the wood with pressures from atmospheric to 1 psig.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pre-polymer comprises from 5 wt % to 10 wt % of the composition.

9. A method of preserving wood comprising:

(a) contacting a wood with a solution of a pre-polymer and nonionic surfactant; and

(b) curing the wood that has been contacted with the solution of prepolymer and nonionic surfactant;

wherein

the method is conducted from ambient atmospheric pressure to 15 psig;

the solution of prepolymer and nonionic surfactant comprises

from 2 wt % to 20 wt % of prepolymer, wherein the average molecular weight of the prepolymer is in the range of from 125 to 400; and

from 0.01 wt % to 1.0 wt % of a combination of an alkoxylated surfactant and an alkyl polyglycoside; and

the curing step comprises heating the wood at temperatures above 25°

C.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the curing step comprises heating the wood at temperatures above 35°

C.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the solution of pre-polymer comprises an aqueous solution of phenol-formaldehyde prepolymer.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the pre-polymer is a water soluble pre-polymer in aqueous base.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the method is conducted from atmospheric pressure to 10 psig.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the method is conducted from atmospheric pressure to 5 psig.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the method is conducted from atmospheric pressure to 1 psig.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the solution of pre-polymer and non-ionic surfactant comprises in the range from 5 wt % to 10 wt % of prepolymer.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the solution of pre-polymer and non-ionic surfactant comprises in the range from 6 wt % to 8 wt % of prepolymer.