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.

A method for densifying a hygroscopic material is disclosed. The method is for hygroscopic material which may be a natural hygroscopic material or woodThe method comprises the steps of providing the hygroscopic material to be densified; pre-conditioning of the hygroscopic material by adjusting the moisture content of the hygroscopic material to a value within a predefined moisture range, if required; simultaneously heating and pressing the gas-tight packed hygroscopic material under predefined temperature and pressure conditions, whereby the moisture content of the hygroscopic material is kept constant; and obtaining a densified material.

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.

A durable palm fiber composite material is obtained by impregnating an unprocessed palm bark in a resin adhesive solution prepared by using a palm leaf as a raw material and then hot-pressing. The palm bark is dried under a natural state without additional processing. The palm leaf is made into a tannin resin adhesive solution under the effect of additives such as furfuryl alcohol, paraformaldehyde, and others. A pH value of the adhesive solution is controlled to be 9-11. A solid content is 40-60%. An adhesive amount applied to the palm bark by the resin adhesive solution is 800-1500 g/m.sup.2. Odd number of layers (three or more layers) of palm barks that are impregnated by the resin adhesive solution and are hot-pressed to the composite material. Hot-pressed parameters are as follows: the temperature is 150-180 C. the unit pressure is 0.8-1.5 MPa, and the time is 10-30 s/mm.

A process for treating wood strands suitable for producing OSBs includes treating the wood strands in water at a temperature in the range from 50 C. to 100 C. The present invention likewise relates to a process for producing wood-based OSBs, in particular wood-based OSBs having reduced emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including: a) production of wood strands from suitable timbers; b) treatment of at least part of the wood strands with water; c) drying of the wood strands which have been treated with the water; d) coating of the wood strands which have been treated with water and dried and coating of wood strands which have not been treated with water with at least one binder; e) scattering of the glue-coated wood strands on a conveyor belt; and f) pressing of the glue-coated wood strands to give a wood-based OSB.

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.

Alcoholic spirits may be artificially aged under highly pressurized carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide may form carbonic acid, which may cause various esters to form in the presence of wood as well as to mellow the flavor when no wood is present. Wood may be pretreated with ozone, which may extract lignin which may further convert to vanillin during pressurized CO2 treatment, giving a vanilla note. After processing with pressurized CO2, a post-treatment of ozone may be given to the spirit, which may cause a mild oxidation and further mellowing of the spirit.

Methods for treating cellulosic materials comprising introducing a liquid treating composition into the cellulosic material, the treating composition comprising an aqueous alkaline copper-containing solution comprising copper tetraammine carbonate; and exposing the cellulosic material provided thereby to carbon dioxide to provide treated cellulosic material.

Wood preservative compositions comprising a particulate copper compound in a solvent carrier with low aromatic content. Particulate copper dispersions in this composition demonstrated superior stability, and wood treated with the composition is protected from attack by wood decay fungi and termites. The invention is also directed to wood preservative compositions comprising: (a.) a biodegradable organic solvent carrier selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil, renewable resource oil, and biodiesel; (b.) a dispersion of solid particles of a metal compound having a particle size between about 0.005 microns to about 10 microns; (c.) an organic biocide; and (d.) a dispersant; ratio of the dispersant to the metal compound is from about 1:500 to about 100:1 (wt/wt). The invention is also directed to compositions comprising penflufen and solvent carriers. The invention is also directed to methods of treating wood using the compositions, and wood treated with the disclosed compositions and methods.

A system and its use for treatment of freight in a vacuum, having a chamber 1 for receiving a loaded container 9 having an external length CLa, an external width CBa and an external height CHa, wherein the chamber 1 has two side walls 11, 12 arranged opposite to a bottom 13 and top 14 and arranged opposite to a front wall 15 and back wall 16, and wherein a direction system XYZ is at right angles; and a conveying element 2 for parking and moving a container 9 relative to chamber 1 from a first position P1 outside the chamber 1 into a second position P2 inside the chamber 1; and a driving device 8 for moving between the first position P1 and the second position P2.