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.

Naturally-occurring cellulose-based material, such as wood, bamboo, grass, or reed, can be subjected to one or more chemical treatments to remove at least some lignin therefrom. The resulting partially-delignified material can be partially dried or fully dried and then rehydrated to yield a moldable cellulose-based material. The moldable material can be formed from a substantially flat planar configuration into a non-planar three-dimensional configuration. Once formed into a desired configuration, the moldable material can be fully dried to set its shape, thereby forming a rigid molded piece. In some embodiments, the molded piece can be used as a structural material, for example, to form a load-bearing structure or part of a composite load-bearing structure.

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.

A process for the production of acetylated wood elements, a cooling system and a wood acetylation plant are described. A process for the production of acetylated wood elements comprises acetylating wood elements and cooling the acetylated wood elements wherein the cooling comprises supplying liquid water to the acetylated wood elements to provide wetted wood elements and exposing the wetted wood elements to a gas flow.

Each of a set of knitting needles have a length correlated to at least two factors (e.g., needle diameter, and yarn weight) to provide appropriate strength, stability, and suitable take-up for stitches created during the knitting process. The correlation is such that as needle diameters (D) grow, and/or the yarn weight increases, the needle length grows in a particular relation, as follows: $L=\frac{\left(W+2\right)\left(15D+15\right)}{\left(\mathrm{.4}W+2\right)\left(\mathrm{.9}D+5\right)}$
where “L” is the length of the needle, “D” is the needle diameter, and “W” is the yarn weight from 0 to 7 (i.e., lace=0, super fine=1, fine=2, light=3, medium=4, bulky=5, super bulky=6, and jumbo=7). Raw wood for the needle is stabilized in a process including application of a composition that is maintained thereon for a period of time and in a vacuum, and heat treatment.

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 present invention relates to a process for preparing a modified wood product wherein the wood is treated with low-molecular weight resin based on lignin degradation products. The present invention also relates to a modified wood product produced using said process.

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 producing structural materials from lumber are provided. The methods use an oxygen pre-treatment or a carbonate pre-treatment followed by densification via thermal compression to produce structural materials with strong mechanical properties. The pre-treatments are able to partially delignify the lumber without substantially adversely affecting the mechanical properties of the subsequently densified wood.

A method for chemically modifying a wood part comprising hydroxyl groups comprising: a first step of covalently reacting all or part of the hydroxyl groups with at least one non-polymeric compound comprising at least one group capable of covalently reacting with a hydroxyl group, whereby the wood part is thus covalently linked to residues of the non-polymeric compound(s); after or simultaneously with the first step, a second step of covalently reacting all or part of the residues of the non-polymeric compound(s) with at least one second compound, the first step and the second step being performed in the presence of at least one supercritical fluid.