20090130475 | Wood treatment solution and process - The present invention features a single aqueous solution that imparts acceptable levels of water resistance, fire resistance, mold resistance and pest resistance to wood, and which may be used in standard wood treatment techniques commonly utilized in the wood treatment industry. In one preferred embodiment, the aqueous solution comprises a fire retardant, preferably sodium metasilicate nonahydrate (about 5% to 30% by mass), an insect and termite repellant, preferably sodium tetraborate decahydrate, also known as borax, (about 1.5% to 9% by mass), a mold inhibitor, preferably thymol (about 0.01% to 0.1% by mass) or ethanolamine (about 0.5% to 20% by mass), and a pH buffer, preferably sodium carbonate (about 1% to 10% by mass). It is believed that the borate/silicate components polymerize upon drying, and become water insoluble, which in turn prevents leaching and provides water repellent characteristics to the wood after treatment. It has been observed that the sodium carbonate may also act as a mold inhibitor, so that the ethanolamine and thymol may be optional ingredients in the solution. The calcium carbonate, in addition to serving as a buffer and imparting some mold and mildew inhibiting properties, is thought to also serve as a catalyst that maintains the water solubility before and during the immersion (impregnation) step, and helps to polymerize the silicate/borate compounds during the drying step. The aqueous solution should have a pH in the range of 9.5 and 13. Additionally, a powder mixture of the above-recited components may be prepared, and may be added to an appropriate amount of water to form the aqueous solution. | 05-21-2009 |