A synergistic aqueous wood preservative composition comprising a copper compound and penflufen. The copper compounds of the compositions of the invention may be soluble, partially solubilized or micronized particles. The penflufen of the compositions of the invention may be solubilized, emulsified or particulate. The wood preservative compositions of the present invention are surprisingly provided as stable dispersions and confer surprising and unexpected resistance to treated wood and wood products.

A wood substrate or member is included, having an increased density with respect to natural, untreated wood. The process includes drying the wood prior to application of heat and pressure, which are controlled to reduce or eliminate color change on a surface of the wood member where heat and pressure are applied.

A filler material is applied to a plurality of wood elements. The plurality of wood elements is bonded into a composite wood product, where the bonding includes delivering ultrasound energy to the plurality of wood elements. The ultrasound energy has a frequency within a frequency range of 10 kHz-20 MHz.

Methods for treating cellulosic materials comprising introducing a liquid treating composition into the cellulosic material, the treating composition comprising a solution prepared from at least: (i) one or more of a copper amine complex or copper ammine complex, such as copper tetraamine carbonate, (ii) one or more of ammonia or a water-soluble amine and (iii) water; and exposing the cellulosic material provided thereby to carbon dioxide and/or carbonic acid to provide treated cellulosic material, and treated cellulosic materials prepared thereby.

Methods and systems for obtaining exhaust streams from wood drying processes and controlling emissions in exhaust streams from wood drying processes are provided. Methods and systems can include pre-treatment steps, such as removing particulate matter and/or heating a process exhaust stream from a wood dryer, in order to obtain an exhaust stream that is suitable for downstream recovery of terpenes from said exhaust stream. Exhaust streams can be contacted with a sorbent to remove volatile organic compounds, and other emissions, generating a purified air stream that is able to be released into the environment without further purification or oxidation.

A process is provided for treating wood products including lumber, plywood and other engineered wood products comprising the steps of applying an aqueous fire-retardant impregnate and applying a coating to the surface of the wood product. In one embodiment, said process confers fire-retardant properties to the wood products sufficient to pass the extended burn test of ASTM E-84. The present invention also provides fire retardant wood products.

Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.

This method for manufacturing a high-density strand board enables high-density strand boards to be formed by using about the same press pressure as press pressures required to form strand boards with common densities, so that the high-density strand boards can be produced without using special facilities and equipment. A pretreatment process P2 is performed on strands 5 before pressing. The pretreatment process P2 is comprised of a first treatment process P2a and a subsequent second treatment process P2b. At least one of beating, high-frequency treatment, high-temperature high-pressure treatment, high-water pressure treatment, repeated deaeration and dehydration treatment, and chemical treatment is performed in the first treatment process P2a, and roll pressing or flat press pressing is performed in the second treatment process P2b. A strand board B with a density of 750 to 950 kg/m.sup.3 is formed by using a press pressure of 4 N/mm.sup.2 or less.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing bamboo toothbrush and a toothbrush manufactured thereby. According to the method of manufacturing bamboo toothbrush of a detailed embodiment of the present invention and a toothbrush manufactured by the method, it is possible to improve strength, surface roughness, and moisture resistance of a bamboo and adjust the color of the bamboo using hot pressing. Further, since sanding and polishing and separate coating and drying are not performed, the process time is reduced, whereby the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

An invention relates to thermal or thermomechanical processing of hygroscopic material to adjust the material properties. The invention concerns a modification arrangement for the hygroscopic material. The modification arrangement comprises a modification unit (202) and a fluid container (204) that is coupled with a control valve (205) to at least one fluid aperture (203). The modification arrangement is configured for heating the hygroscopic material in the modification unit (202) to extract water from it and, in response to opening of the control valve (205), leading fluid from the fluid container through said at least one fluid aperture (203) into the modification unit (202). The modification arrangement further comprises a treatment agent (207) added to the fluid so that the treatment agent (207) is absorbed into the hygroscopic material and modifies it. The treatment agent (207) includes at least one of the following ingredients: a preservative, a dye, a pigment, an aroma, an odour eliminator, a pesticide, an impregnation ingredient, or a fire retardant.