Disclosed herein is an environmentally friendly wood protecting method against biological deterioration such as fungal, bacterial and insect damage and non-biological wood deterioration such as weathering. The method comprises contacting a wood material with an aqueous solution of a zirconium salts which is followed by a heat treatment step, providing durable protection of wood against biodegradation and improving several other properties of the treated wood.

A protectant and sealant solution and method of use thereof, configured to protect wood from premature decay when disposed in contact with the earth. The solution is composed of processed hemp oil which is mixed with bio-diesel and other oils to form the protectant solution. The wood is then impregnated with the solution via pressure treatment within a retort cylinder. The solution is configured to protect utility poles and other wooden construction members which are known for prolonged contact with soil. The solution is designed as a safe replacement for pentachlorophenol solutions which have been found to be harmful to the soil and water table.

The present invention relates methods for heat treatment of wood. The invention further relates to wood obtainable by the methods of the invention as well as the use of the method for preparing treated wood. The method comprises the step of pressurising said airtight tank (4) to a predefined pressure (P.sub.1) in order to establish a pressurised environment for said wood (6). The method comprises the step of placing said wood (6) in an airtight tank (4) and heating said wood (6) to a predefined temperature (T.sub.2, T.sub.3). The predefined pressure (P.sub.1) is kept so high that the water in the wood (6) cannot evaporate at the predefined temperature (T.sub.2, T.sub.3).

The present invention relates to a process for the production of impregnated wood pieces for use in pencil production, and pencils with shafts including such impregnated wood pieces, wherein the process comprises two process stages, namely a) a first process stage, comprising a first impregnation step, in which an untreated wood piece is at least partially, impregnated with a first aqueous impregnating solution of an impregnating agent selected from the group consisting of 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea or a derivative or modification thereof, and a catalyst, and a subsequent curing step, in which the impregnated wood piece is cured in a hot steam atmosphere at an elevated temperature above 100° C., and b) a second process stage comprising a second impregnation step, whereby the impregnated, cured wood piece is at least partially impregnated with a second aqueous impregnating solution of a wax emulsion paraffin based as an impregnating agent.

The invention relates to a treatment composition for timber or wood including fire-retardant and either a crosslinking agent or a fixing agent or both, whereby the composition is boron- and halogen-free.

The present invention relates to the creation of thermally insulating materials derived from cellulosic materials by selectively depolymerizing the materials anatomy. Cellulosic materials may be comprised of three main biopolymers: lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose. The present invention relates to the chemical and physical removal of lignin and hemicellulose, while leaving the cellulose unaltered to induce increased porosity within the material and the material's macrostructure matrix for use as thermal and acoustic insulation. The increased porosity will be due to the creation of closed cell voids within the cellulosic matrix. These voids will increase the thermal and acoustic insulating performance of the cellulosic materials. The selective removal of secondary biopolymers from cellulosic materials allow for isolation of other value added products that can be regenerated through fewer reactions/steps. This is a novel advantage over other similar processes that dissolve cellulose completely, making it harder to extract and isolate secondary off-stream products.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a densified wood article comprising vacuum impregnating a porous low-density type of wood with a specified aqueous phenolformaldehyde resin composition and pressing. The invention also relates to a densified wood article obtainable by the process having a low set-recovery. The invention further relates to the use of an aqueous phenol-formaldehyde resin composition for impregnation of wood for impregnating wood in a process for the manufacture of densified wood articles and to the use densified wood articles in high value-added applications like flooring or furniture and for machine tooling applications.

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 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 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.