Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper-based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper-based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper based particles of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to wood preservative compositions, methods of treating wood, and wood that has been treated with the preservative, which includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper-based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper based particles of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, in certain embodiments, to methods of preserving wood comprising the steps of providing an aqueous wood preservative slurry comprising a plurality of injectable particulates comprising at least 20% by weight of a sparingly soluble copper salt, wherein the first particulates have a d96 of about 1 micron or less, a d99 of about 1.5 microns or less, and a d50 of greater than 0.02 micron, and injecting the aqueous wood preservative slurry into wood.

Abstract: An aqueous wood-injectable particular-based wood preservative comprising: 1) dispersants in an amount sufficient to maintain biocidal particles in a stable slurry; 2) injectable sub-micron biocidal particles comprising a solid phase of at least one of a sparingly soluble organic biocide, a sparingly soluble copper salt, copper(I)oxide, a sparingly soluble zinc salt, zinc oxide; a sparingly soluble nickel salt; and a sparingly soluble tin salt, wherein less than 2% by weight of the biocidal particles have an average diameter greater than 1 micron, and at least 20% by weight of the biocidal particles have an average diameter greater than 0.08 microns; and 3) at least one pigment particle or dye in an amount sufficient to impart a discernable color or hue to the wood, when compared to wood treated with the same particulate system but without the pigment.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A method for preserving wood by injecting into the wood a slurry having: particles of a sparingly soluble copper salt, copper hydroxide, or both, wherein the weight average diameter d50 of the particles in the slurry is between 0.1 microns and 0.7 microns and the d98 of the particles in the slurry is less than about 1 micron; a dispersant; and water. The dispersant is anionic or a mix of anionic and non-ionic. Advantageously, less than 20% by weight of the particles have a diameter less than 20 nanometers. Useful copper salts include basic copper carbonate, tri-basic copper sulfate, copper oxychloride, basic copper nitrate, basic copper borate, copper borate, basic copper phosphate, or copper silicate. The slurry most preferably includes copper hydroxide particles. The slurry further advantageously includes at least one organic biocide, wherein at least a portion of the organic biocide is coated on the particles.

Abstract: A method of milling substantially insoluble solid organic biocides to form a micron or sub-micron product having a narrow particle size distribution is presented. The milling involves wet milling of the organic biocide with high density milling media having a diameter between 0.1 mm and 0.8 mm, preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.7 mm, and a density equal to or greater than 3.8 g/cc, preferably greater than 5.5 g/cc, in a ball mill using between about 40% and 80% loading of the mill volume with milling media, and having the organic biocide suspended in an aqueous milling liquid which comprises one or more surface active agents. The milling speed is preferably high, for example from about 1000 rpm to about 4000 rpm.

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 ?m, 0.2 ?m, or 0.15 ?m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper-based particles of the invention.

Abstract: A method of milling substantially insoluble solid organic biocides to form a micron or sub-micron product having a narrow particle size distribution is presented. The milling involves wet milling of the organic biocide with high density milling media having a diameter between 0.1 mm and 0.8 mm, preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.7 mm, and a density equal to or greater than 3.8 g/cc, preferably greater than 5.5 g/cc, in a ball mill using between about 40% and 80% loading of the mill volume with milling media, and having the organic biocide suspended in an aqueous milling liquid which comprises one or more surface active agents. The milling speed is preferably high, for example from about 1000 rpm to about 4000 rpm.

Abstract: A method of dissolving a copper mass includes contacting a copper mass with an oxidant such as air and an aqueous leach liquor containing monoethanolamine (“MEA”) and (HMEA)2CO3, wherein said leach liquor is produced by partially carbonating the MEA, and said leach liquor further contains between 1.9 g/L and 13.7 g/L of dissolved copper, forms a liquid product comprising between 100 and 130 g Cu/L in 48 hours or less.

Abstract: A wood preservative that contains a copper salt complex and a precipitation inhibitor is provided. The wood preservative may contain copper carbonate, an alkanolamine such as monoethanolamine and precipitation inhibitor such as a phosphonate or ethylene diamine compound. Also provided is a method of using the wood preservative.

Abstract: The invention relates to a compatibilizing dispersant used in a slurry composition comprising a strongly cationic component and a strongly anionic component. More specifically, the invention relates to stable aqueous slurries comprising suspended particles of sparingly soluble salts, oxide, and/or hydroxides of copper and/or zinc. The slurry further comprises a quaternary amine compound present in a biocidally effective amount when the slurry is used in a manner that provides the sparingly soluble copper and/or zinc containing particles in a biocidally effective amount. The slurry further comprises an effective amount of a dispersant having a large non-ionic component.

Abstract: Spent, acidic solutions comprising cupric chloride and hyrdrochloric acid from the copper etching process are regenerated by a process in which the acid is subjected to distillation with sulfuric acid. In one embodiment, the process comprises (a) providing a spent etchant comprising at least about 10% by weight chloride and at least about 5% dissolved copper; (b) adding at least about 2 moles of sulfuric acid per mole of dissolved copper to the spent etching solution, thereby converting copper chloride into hydrochloric acid and precipitated copper sulfate; (c) distilling the mixture from step (b) to vaporize at least a portion of the hydrochloric acid; (d) condensing at least a portion of the vaporized hydrochloric acid; (e) separating at least a portion of the precipitated copper sulfate from the residual liquid, wherein said residual liquid comprises sulfuric acid; and (f) reusing at least a portion of the residual liquid as a sulfuric acid source in step (b).

Abstract: A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 &mgr;m, 0.2 &mgr;m, or 0.15 &mgr;m. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper-based particles of the invention.