Effect of Copper Retention on Copper Leaching in Wood Treated with Copper-based Preservatives

Abstract

This research investigates the effect of copper retention on copper leaching in wood treated with copper- based preservatives. Radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) sapwood samples were ground in a Wiley mill equipped with a 20-mesh screen. The ground wood was vacuum-treated with various concentrations of alkaline copper quat (ACQ), bis-(N-cyclohexyl-diazeniumdioxy)-copper (CB-HDO), and copper azole (CUAZ). The treated samples were conditioned at 70°C and 100% RH for 72 hours. The samples were leached by using the distilled water for four weeks, and the copper contents in each sample were measured by X-ray spectroscopy. As expected, the copper leaching was increased with increasing of copper retention. The copper leaching from the ACQ and CB-HDO treated samples were gradually decreased with increasing copper retention: however, the copper losses from the CUAZ treated samples appeared to be proportionally increased with the increase in copper retention in all retention levels tested. The results indicate that at the conditions of the same copper retention ACQ and CB-HDO treated wood have a better leaching resistance compared to CUAZ treated wood.