Effect of hot air post-treatments on copper leaching resistance in ACQ-D treated Chinese fir

Abstract

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata Hook.) wood cubes (19 × 19 × 19 mm3) were treated with amine copper quat-type D (ACQ-D) solution and fixed with different hot air post-treatments. The effects of temperature, relative humidity, duration, air circulation of post-treatment as well as the copper retention in the treated wood on copper leaching were investigated. With the help of ultraviolet or visible spectroscopy (UV/VIS), the valence conversion of copper in treated wood post-treated with optimal post-treatment conditions was investigated, and its relation with copper leaching was also discussed. The results showed that besides temperature and relative humidity, air circulation during hot air post-treatments also had a significant effect on accelerating copper fixation in ACQ-D treated wood. 70 °C, 80% R.H. with good air circulation provided a suitable condition for complete fixation of copper in a short period. After the applied post-treatments, up to 11.3% cupric copper reduced to cuprous form. A higher copper conversion rate usually corresponds to lower copper leaching, which is consistent with the contribution of lower water solubility cuprous copper.