Micronized wood preservative formulations comprising boron compounds

Abstract

The present invention provides wood preservative and flame retardant compositions having low leachability comprising micronized boron compounds and, optionally, one or more organic biocides which may be micronized. Also provided is a method for applying the composition to wood and wood products comprising impregnating the wood with the composition.

1 . An aqueous composition for preserving and/or increasing the flame retardancy of wood, said composition comprising a particulate boron compound component, wherein greater than 60 wt percent of the boron compound component particles are micronized.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the boron compound component is an inorganic boron compound.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the boron compound component is an organic borate.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein the boron compound component is a borate ester.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate boron compound component is zinc borate, calcium silicate borate, sodium silicate borate, aluminum silicate borate, hydroboracite, Ulexite, Colemanite, aluminum borate, copper borate, magnesium borate, or iron borate.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an organic biocide component selected from the group consisting of biocides listed in Tables 1-4.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein the organic biocide is micronized.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 95 wt percent of the particles are micronized.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 60 wt percent of the particles have a size less than 10 microns.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 20 wt percent of the particles have a size less than 1 micron.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein greater than 80 wt percent of the particles have a size of between 0.05 to 1.0 micron.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein greater than 80 wt percent of the particles have a size of between 0.05 to 1.0 micron.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more water-soluble boron compounds.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the water-soluble boron compounds comprise disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT), sodium tetraborate pentahydrate, and sodium tetraborate decahydrate; an ammonium borate; a potassium borate or boric acid.  
     
     
         15 . A method for preserving and/or increasing the flame resistance of a wood or wood product substrate, said method comprising the step of impregnating the substrate with a composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the substrate is impregnated with an inorganic boron compound.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the boron compound component is an organic borate.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the boron compound component is a organic borate ester.  
     
     
         19 . The method of claim  1 - 5 , wherein said impregnating involves pressure treating the substrate with the preservative composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound comprising zinc borate, calcium silicate borate, sodium silicate borate, aluminum silicate borate, hydroboracite, Ulexite, Colemanite, aluminum borate, copper borate, magnesium borate, or iron borate.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the composition comprises an organic biocide component selected from the group consisting of biocides listed in Tables 1-4.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the organic biocide component comprises micronized organic biocide.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound component.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound component, wherein greater than 95 wt percent of the particles are micronized.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound component, wherein greater than 60 wt percent of the particles have a size less than 10 microns.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound, wherein greater than 20 wt percent of the particles have a size less than 1 micron.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound, wherein greater than 80 wt percent of the particles have a size of between 0.05 to 1.0 micron.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the substrate is impregnated with a composition comprising a particulate boron compound, wherein greater than 80 wt percent of the particles have a size of between 0.05 to 1.0 micron.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more water-soluble boron compounds.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the water-soluble boron compounds comprise disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT), sodium tetraborate pentahydrate, and sodium tetraborate decahydrate; an ammonium borate; a potassium borate or boric acid.  
     
     
         31 . Wood or a wood product through which is distributed micronized particles of a boron compound.  
     
     
         32 . The wood of  claim 31 , through which is additionally distributed micronized particles of an organic biocide.