Wood preservative and method for producing same

Abstract

A synergistic aqueous wood preservative composition comprising a copper compound and penflufen. The copper compounds of the compositions of the invention may be soluble, partially solubilized or micronized particles. The penflufen of the compositions of the invention may be solubilized, emulsified or particulate. The wood preservative compositions of the present invention are surprisingly provided as stable dispersions and confer surprising and unexpected resistance to treated wood and wood products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating wood or a wood product comprising the step of contacting the wood or the wood product with an aqueous wood preservative composition, the aqueous wood preservative composition comprising an aqueous carrier, a copper compound and penflufen in a copper:penflufen ratio between about 1:1 to about 500:1 to produce a treated wood or wood product. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper compound is micronized. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the penflufen is micronized, solubilized, emulsified, or encapsulated. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the copper compound is micronized. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper compound is selected from the group consisting of copper hydroxide, cupric oxide, cuprous oxide, copper carbonate, basic copper carbonate, copper oxychloride, copper 8-hydroxyquinolate, copper dimethyldithiocarbamate, copper omadine and copper borate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the micronized copper has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the micronized penflufen has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the micronized copper and/or the micronized penflufen has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein mean particle size of the micronized copper in the aqueous wood preservative varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein mean particle size of the micronized penflufen in the aqueous wood preservative varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein mean particle size of the micronized copper and/or the micronized penflufen in the aqueous wood preservative varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the penflufen is emulsified, micronized, solubilized, or encapsulated. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the penflufen is dissolved in the aqueous carrier by addition of a non-aqueous solvent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper compound is solubilized. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the penflufen is micronized, emulsified, solubilized, or encapsulated. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the micronized penflufen has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein mean particle size of the micronized penflufen in the aqueous wood preservative varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the penflufen is emulsified. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the penflufen is dissolved in the aqueous carrier by addition of a non-aqueous solvent. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting step comprises vacuum and/or pressure treatment. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wood or wood product retains the penflufen in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 . 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treated wood or wood product is resistant to fungal decay. 
     
     
         27 . A method of treating wood or a wood product comprising a step of contacting the wood or the wood product with an aqueous wood preservative composition to produce a treated wood or wood product, the aqueous wood preservative composition comprising:
 a. an aqueous carrier,   b. a dispersant,   c. a micronized copper compound, and   d. penflufen,   
       wherein the micronized copper compound and the penflufen are in a copper:penflufen ratio between about 1:1 to about 500:1, and wherein the micronized copper and/or the penflufen has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the copper compound is selected from the group consisting of copper hydroxide, cupric oxide, cuprous oxide, copper carbonate, basic copper carbonate, copper oxychloride, copper 8-hydroxyquinolate, copper dimethyldithiocarbamate, copper omadine and copper borate. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein mean particle size of the micronized copper in the aqueous wood preservative varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the dispersant is polymeric. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the dispersant is selected from the group consisting of a salt of naphthalene sulfonate condensate, a salt of sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate, and sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde polymer admixture. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the contacting step comprises vacuum and/or pressure treatment. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the wood or wood product retains the penflufen in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 . 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the treated wood or wood product is resistant to fungal decay. 
     
     
         36 . A method of treating wood or a wood product comprising:
 a. a step of contacting the wood or the wood product with an aqueous wood preservative composition, said aqueous wood preservative composition comprising an aqueous carrier, a copper compound and penflufen in a copper:penflufen ratio between about 1:1 to about 500:1 to produce a treated wood or wood product;   
       wherein the wood or wood product retains the penflufen in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 . 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the treated wood or wood product is resistant to fungal decay. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition, applied to achieve a retention in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 , resists decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, such that the treated wood or wood product loses between less than 2 and 20%, mean weight. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the brown rot fungi is selected from the group consisting of  Gloeophyllum trabeum, Fibroporia radiculosa, Postia placenta  and  Coniophora Postia puteana.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the sapwood species is southern yellow pine. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the copper compound is micronized. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the penflufen is micronized. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the copper compound is micronized. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the copper compound is selected from the group consisting of copper hydroxide, cupric oxide, cuprous oxide, copper carbonate, basic copper carbonate, copper oxychloride, copper 8-hydroxyquinolate, copper dimethyldithiocarbamate, copper omadine and copper borate. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the micronized copper has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the micronized penflufen has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the micronized copper and/or the micronized penflufen has a particle size of 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition, applied to achieve a retention in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 , resists decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, such that the treated wood or wood product loses between less than 10% mean weight. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition, applied to achieve a retention in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 , resists decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, such that the treated wood or wood product loses between less than 5% mean weight. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition, applied to achieve a retention in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 , resists decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, such that the treated wood or wood product loses between less than 2% mean weight. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the contacting step comprises vacuum and/or pressure treatment. 
     
     
         52 . Wood or a wood product comprising:
 a. a copper compound, and   b. penflufen,   
       in a copper:penflufen ratio between about 1:1 to about 500:1, and wherein the wood or the wood product contains the penflufen in an amount between about 4 to 200 g/m 3 . 
     
     
         53 . The wood or wood product of  claim 52 , wherein the wood or wood product further comprising an aqueous carrier. 
     
     
         54 . The wood or wood product of  claim 52 , wherein the copper compound is micronized. 
     
     
         55 . The wood or wood product of  claim 52 , wherein the penflufen is micronized. 
     
     
         56 . The wood or wood product of  claim 54 , wherein the penflufen is micronized. 
     
     
         57 . The wood or wood product of  claim 52 , wherein the wood or the wood product is resistant to fungal decay. 
     
     
         58 . The wood or wood product of  claim 52 , wherein the combination of the copper and the penflufen synergistically resists fungal decay compared to the fungal resistance of copper alone and the fungal resistance of penflufen alone. 
     
     
         59 . The wood or wood product of  claim 57 , wherein the copper compound is distributed within the wood. 
     
     
         60 . The wood or wood product of  claim 59 , wherein the volume number density of the particulate copper compound 5 cm from the surface of the wood or wood product is at least about 50%. 
     
     
         61 . A method of preparing a wood preservative composition comprising the steps of milling a slurry of penflufen and a dispersant in a carrier with a high density grinding media and diluting the slurry with the same or a different carrier to prepare a wood preservative composition or a concentrated wood preservative composition. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the high density grinding media has a diameter between 0.01 and 5.0 mm. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the high density grinding media has a diameter between 0.1 and 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the high density grinding media has a density of 2.5 g/cc or higher. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the high density grinding media has a density of 3.5 g/cc or higher. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the weight ratio of penflufen to dispersant is between about 1:500 to about 1000:1. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the weight ratio of penflufen to dispersant between about 1:1 to about 100:1. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the particles in the wood preservative composition have a particle size between about 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         69 . A wood preservative composition comprising:
 a. a copper compound;   b. penflufen; and   c. an aqueous carrier;   
       in a copper:penflufen ratio from about 1:1 to about 500:1. 
     
     
         70 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 69 , wherein the wood preservative composition is a concentrate, or a diluted treating solution. 
     
     
         71 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 69 , wherein the copper compound is micronized. 
     
     
         72 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 69 , wherein the penflufen is micronized. 
     
     
         73 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 71 , wherein the penflufen is micronized. 
     
     
         74 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 73 , further comprising a dispersant. 
     
     
         75 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 73 , wherein the micronized copper and/or micronized penflufen in the wood preservative have a mean particle size between about 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         76 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 73 , wherein the wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         77 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 76 , wherein the mean particle size of the micronized copper and/or micronized penflufen mixture in the wood preservative composition varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         78 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 69 , wherein the penflufen is emulsified. 
     
     
         79 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 69 , wherein the penflufen is dissolved in the aqueous carrier by the addition of a non-aqueous solvent. 
     
     
         80 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 72 , wherein the micronized penflufen has a particle size between about 5 to 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         81 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 80 , wherein the wood preservative composition is a stable composition. 
     
     
         82 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 81 , wherein the mean particle size of the micronized penflufen in the wood preservative composition varies by less than 50 nanometers after storage from week one to 6 months at 24° C. 
     
     
         83 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 74 , wherein the dispersant is polymeric. 
     
     
         84 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 83 , wherein the dispersant is selected from the group consisting of a salt of naphthalene sulfonate condensate, a salt of sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate, and sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde polymer admixture. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition exhibits a synergistic effect in resisting decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, compared to the use of copper alone and penflufen alone. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition exhibits a synergistic effect in resisting decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, compared to the use of copper alone and penflufen alone. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the aqueous wood preservative composition exhibits a synergistic effect in resisting decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, compared to the use of copper alone and penflufen alone. 
     
     
         88 . The wood preservative composition of  claim 69 , wherein said wood preservative composition exhibits a synergistic effect in resisting decay of a sapwood species of wood by brown rot fungi in a soil-block test according to American Wood Protection Association Standard E10-2015, compared to the use of copper alone and penflufen alone. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the brown rot fungi is selected from the group consisting of  Gloeophyllum trabeum, Fibroporia radiculosa, Postia placenta  and  Coniophora Postia puteana.    
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the sapwood species is southern yellow pine. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the brown rot fungi is selected from the group consisting of  Gloeophyllum trabeum, Fibroporia radiculosa, Postia placenta  and  Coniophora Postia puteana.    
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the sapwood species is southern yellow pine. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the brown rot fungi is selected from the group consisting of  Gloeophyllum trabeum, Fibroporia radiculosa, Postia placenta  and  Coniophora Postia puteana.    
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the sapwood species is southern yellow pine. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein the brown rot fungi is selected from the group consisting of  Gloeophyllum trabeum, Fibroporia radiculosa, Postia placenta  and  Coniophora Postia puteana.    
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein the sapwood species is southern yellow pine.