Process for treating wood and products

Abstract

Wood cellulose is treated with a reactive silicate. The reaction is done to cellulose within the wood and may be catalyzed with acid or base catalysts or a carbon silicon halogen combination which produces in situ acid catalysts or a different combination to produce an in situ base catalyst which replaces some of the molecules or atoms within the cellulose structure with silicon, boron or other hydrophobic or anti-degrading agents. Preferably an organic solvent, such as alcohol is used to accelerate the reaction with the water in the wood. Here, the hydroxyl (OH) group on some or all of the cellulose molecules is partially replaced with silicon or an alternative atom or molecule to changes the character of the wood. The process may be modified to insert a preliminary step of adding a reactive agent to be locked into the wood. Manufacturing techniques to enhance the process using ultrasound or other wave generating techniques are also taught.

1 . A process for treating wood having wood cellulose having a plurality of hydroxyl groups comprising the steps of: 
 providing a solution comprised of: 
 a non-water-based hydrophilic organic solvent and  
 a solute compound having at least one plurality of functional groups wherein each of which functional group includes: 
 an atom selected from the group consisting of trivalent, tetravalent, pentavalent atoms and combinations thereof, wherein said atom is bonded to 
 a halogen atom or  
 a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, phenoxy group, benzyloxy group, an aryloxy group having a polycyclic aromatic ring, and combinations thereof,  
 
 
 applying said solution to the wood cellulose,  
 reacting said functional groups to form covalent bonds with other functional groups of said solute and to said wood cellulose.  
   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of maintaining said solute compound functional groups as monomers prior to the applying said solution to wood having wood cellulose,  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 2  further comprising the steps of simultaneous reaction and diffusion of the functional groups in the wood and self-initiating exothermic reaction of said functional groups to form covalent bonds with other functional groups of said solute and to said wood cellulose.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the process further comprises the step of adding a catalyst to the solution.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein the catalyst comprises a substance which effects the exothermic reaction of the functional group so that the functional group bonds from the trivalent, tetravalent or pentavalent atom across an oxygen of the cellulose hydroxyl group.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the catalyst is added to the wood cellulose after application of said solution to the wood cellulose.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the catalyst is added to the solution prior to application of the solution to the wood cellulose.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the catalyst is an acid or a base.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the acid is produced by a pro-catalyst defined as a molecule producing an acid or base in the presence of wood cellulose or water in wood cellulose.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 5  wherein the acid is in the range of 0.05-10% of the solution.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the acid is in the range from 0.05 to 4.9% of the solution.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the functional group comprises at least one functional group having a group concentration which at least one reactant group is not a pro-catalyst and wherein the catalyst has a catalyst concentration which concentration is less than 17% the group concentration.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the catalyst concentration is less than 5% of the group concentration.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the acid has a pKa of 4 or less.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the acid has a pKa below 2.5  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the base has a pKb above 9.00.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the acid or base is from the group consisting of acids from Akyl-silicon halides, acids from alkyl-halide monomers with trivalent, tetravalent and pentavalent atoms, hydrochloric, meta-phosphoric acid, poly-phosphoric acid, bases from metal alkoxides, phosphoric acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 8  wherein the acid or base is in the range of 0.01-10% in situ the wood.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the pro-catalyst is a molecule comprised of silicone and a halogen.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the functional groups further comprises non-pro-catalyst functional groups in the range of 1-65%.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20  wherein the non-pro-catalyst functional groups react exothermically and spontaneously with wood in the presence of a pro-catalyst, acid or base.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 20  wherein the non-catalytic reagents would include hydroxyl and alkoxy bonded trivalent, pentavalent and tetravalent atoms.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the concentration of water in the solvent is between 0 and 8%.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23  wherein the concentration of water is between 0 and 0.5%.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the step of agitating the solution prior to applying to wood cellulose.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the concentration of non-hydrophilic organic solvents is in the range from 0-20%.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26  wherein the percentage of non-hydrophilic organic solvents is in a range of 0 to 10%.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydrophilic organic solvent is at a concentration of at least 10% of the solution.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 27  wherein hydrophilic organic solvents are at a concentration of 30%-99.9% of the solution.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the solution is less than 20% oligomers of the functional groups prior to applying the solution to the wood.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organic solvent is an organic solvent with a (K ow ) less than 10.0.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the organic solvent is an organic solvent with a (k ow ) less than 1.0.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the organic solvent is an organic solvent with a less than 0.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the step of: 
 adding at least one non-reactive additive to the wood cellulose that enhances a desired property selected from the group consisting of    (1) fire resistance,    (2) insect resistance,    (3) moisture resistance    (4) color,    (5) adhesion,    (6) insulation, and    (7) combinations thereof.    
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 34  wherein the step of adding at least one non reactive additive further comprises adding the additive to the solution.  
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 34  wherein the step of adding the at least one non-reactive additive occurs before reacting the functional groups to bond with the wood cellulose.  
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 34  wherein the additive is from the group consisting of: 
 1) diatimatious earth,    2) sodium silicates,    3) boron or silicon salts,    4) boric acid,    5) trimethy (trialkyl) borate,    6) Boron Halides (BF3, BCl3, etc.),    7) Boric Anhydride (boron oxide),    8) phosphorous compounds,    9) copper compounds,    10) metal alkoxide,    11) meta-phosphoric acid;    12) a hydrophobic reagents,    13) phosphoric acid,    14) metaphoshoric acid, and    15) combinations thereof.    
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the solute compound comprises functional groups from the group consisting of R-Xa-Xb 3 , R 3 -Xa-Xb, R 2 -Xa-Xb 2 , R 1 -Xa-Xb 2 , R 2 -Xa-Xb 1 , R 4 -Xa, XaR 3 , and combinations thereof wherein R is the carbon compound, Xa is the trivalent, tetravalent or pentavalent atom and Xb is a halogen or oxy group.  
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 37  wherein the solute compound comprises functional groups where Xb is a halogen and functional groups where Xb is from a group consisting of alkoxy groups, hydroxyl groups and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the wood cellulose has an original weight and wherein the duration of treatment attains a weight of compound which is covalently bonded to the wood cellulose having a range of 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the original weight of the wood cellulose.  
     
     
         41 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming cyclic interlocking molecules having as a part of the cyclic structure at least two carbons within the cellulose and at least two of the trivalent, tetravalent or pentavalent atoms from the functional groups.  
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 8  further comprising the step of exposing the acids introduced into the wood to an acid reducing compound subsequent to the treatment.  
     
     
         43 . The process of  claim 42  further comprising the step of introducing an acid reducing chemical into the wood prior to the exposure of the wood cellulose to the acid.  
     
     
         44 . The process of  claim 8  further comprising the step of exposing the bases introduced into the wood to an base neutralizing compound subsequent to the exposure of the wood cellulose to the acid.  
     
     
         45 . The process of  claim 44  further comprising the step of introducing an base neutralizing chemical into the wood prior to the exposure of the wood cellulose to the base.  
     
     
         46 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the wood cellulose comprises water and wherein the functional groups are solvated by the water in the wood prior to being covalently bonded to the hydroxyl groups of said wood cellulose.  
     
     
         47 . The process according to  claim 46  further comprising the step of adding water to the wood cellulose prior to applying the solution to the wood cellulose  
     
     
         48 . A process for treating wood cellulose having a plurality of hydroxyl groups comprising the steps of 
 providing a solution comprised of a non-water-based hydrophilic organic solvent and 
 a solute having a plurality of monomers comprising an atom selected from the group consisting of tri-valent, tetravalent, pentavalent atoms, and combinations thereof which atom is bonded to a halogen atom or a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, phenoxy group, benzyloxy group and an aryloxy group having a polycyclic aromatic ring and combinations thereof, 
 applying said solution to the wood cellulose and simultaneously diffusing said solution within said wood and  
 
 reacting said solute to form covalent bonds;  
 and forming a matrix structure comprising reacted monomers and wood cellulose.  
   
     
     
         49 . The process of  claim 48  further comprising the step of: 
 adding at least one non-reactive additive that enhances a desired property selected from the group consisting of: 
 fire resistance,  
 insect resistance,  
 moisture resistance  
 color,  
 adhesion,  
 insulation  
 and combinations thereof.  
   
     
     
         50 . The process of  claim 49  wherein the step of adding the at least one non-reactive additive occurs before covalently bonding the compound to the wood cellulose.  
     
     
         51 . The process according to  claim 48 , further comprising a step of exposing the wood to ultra-sound sonification while applying said solution.  
     
     
         52 . The process of  claim 48  herein the monomer, as a percent of solution, is over 5% of the solution by volume.  
     
     
         53 . The process of  claim 48  herein the monomer, as a percentage of total solution is over 10% by volume.  
     
     
         54 . The process of  claim 48  wherein the monomer comprises at least two separate monomers being: 
 (i) a pro-catalyst reactant diffused as a chemical from the solution and bonding with wood in conjunction with water in the wood and generating in the bonding a catalyst; and    (ii) a non-pro-catalyst reactant diffused as a chemical from the solution and bonding with wood cellulose in the presence of the catalyst generated by the pro-catalyst.    
     
     
         55 . The process of  claim 54  wherein the solution comprises: 
 (A) a composition consisting of a mixture of a pro-catalyst in the range from 0.25% to 4.0%;    (B) a silicon additive which is not a pro-catalyst in the range of about 1.5 to 40% and wherein the hydrophillic organic solvent is further defined as an organic drying solvent.    
     
     
         56 . The process of  claim 55  wherein the solution further comprises a boron additive.  
     
     
         57 . The process of  claim 54  wherein the solution comprises: 
 (A) a pro-catalyst in the range of 0.25 to 4% of the total solution represented by the formula R—X(Y) 3  where    (i) R and Y are selected from a group of straight or branch chain alkyl substituents ranging in carbon numbers from 2-18 (eg. Methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, tertiary butyl, pentyl, isopentyl etc.), aryl substituents phenyl benzyl and combinations thereof or a group consisting of Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine, Flourine and combinations thereof, and    (ii) X is an atom selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, PB, TI, ZR and combinations thereof; and    (B) a silicon additive in the range of about 3.0 to 40%, represented by the formula R—X(Y) 3 , wherein:    (i) R is selected from a group of straight or branch chain alkyl substituents ranging in carbon numbers from 2-18 (eg. Methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, tertiary butyl, pentyl, isopentyl etc.), aryl substituents phenyl benzyl and any combinations thereof, and    (ii) X is an atom selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, PB, TI, ZR and combinations thereof; and    (iii) Y is selected from a group consisting of methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, t-butoxy, pentoxy, isopentoxy, hexyloxy, phenoxy, benzyloxy and combinations thereof; and    (C) an organic drying solvent selected from a group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, tertiary butanol, pentanol, isopentanol, benzyl alcohol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, acetonitile and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         58 . The process of claim  64  wherein the solution further comprises a borate compound in the range of about 0.25 to 35%.  
     
     
         59 . The process of  claim 48  wherein the solution further comprises X (R) 3 , where X is selected from a group of atoms consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, P, As, Sb, Bi, V and other combinations thereof, and R is selected from a group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, isoporpoxy, isobutoxy, pentoxy, isopentoxy, butoxy, tertiarybutoxy, phenoxy, benzyloxy and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         60 . The process of  claim 48  further comprising adding a traceable additive.  
     
     
         61 . A product produced utilizing wood cellulose comprising a plurality of cyclic rings comprised of a trivalent, pentavalent or tetravalent compound and at least one carbon and one oxygen of the wood cellulose made from the process of exposing wood cellulose to a solution comprised of 
 (a) a non-water-based hydrophilic organic solvent; and    (b) a solute compound having a functional group which includes a monomer comprising: (i) an atom selected from the group consisting of trivalent, tetravalent and pentavalent atoms, wherein said atom is bonded to 
 (A) a halogen atom or  
 (B) a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, phenoxy group, benzyloxy group and an aryloxy group having a polycyclic aromatic ring.  
   
     
     
         62 . The product of  claim 61  wherein the cyclic rings are interlocking.  
     
     
         63 . The product of  claim 62  wherein the rings are 7-12 unit rings.