Zinc and Boron Containing Enhanced Wood Preservative

1 . A wood preservative composition comprising:

(a) a copper containing biocide;

(b) a zinc containing biocide;

(c) a boron containing biocide comprising boric acid, disodium tetraborate pentahydrate, disodium octoborate tetrahydrate, or combinations thereof; and

(d) an azole,

wherein the copper containing biocide and the zinc containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to zinc ions is from about 15:1 to about 1:5; and

wherein the copper containing biocide and the boron containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to boric acid equivalents is from about 15:1 to about 1:5.

2 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the copper containing biocide comprises a basic copper carbonate, a copper oxide, or a combination thereof.

3 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the zinc containing biocide comprises a zinc oxide or a combination of zinc oxide and zinc borate.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the azole comprises a tebuconazole, penflufen, or a mixture thereof.

6 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the azole comprises a tebuconazole, a propiconazole, or a mixture thereof.

7 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the azole is complexed with the copper containing biocide.

8 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the azole comprises micronized azole particles, wherein 50% or more of the micronized azole particles have a particle size of less than about 1 micron.

9 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the copper containing biocide comprises a basic copper carbonate; wherein the zinc containing biocide comprises a zinc oxide or a combination of a zinc oxide and zinc borate; wherein the boron containing biocide comprises a boric acid; and wherein the azole comprises a tebuconazole.

10 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the copper containing biocide constitutes from about 0.1 wt. % to about 75 wt. % of the composition; wherein the zinc containing biocide constitutes from about 0.1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the composition; wherein the boron containing biocide constitutes from about 0.1 wt. % to about 75 wt. % of the composition; and the azole constitutes from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the composition.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an alkanolamine.

13 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the copper containing biocide and the zinc containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to zinc ions is from about 10:1 to about 2:1.

14 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the copper containing biocide and the boron containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to boric acid equivalents is from about 10:1 to about 2:1.

15 . The wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the zinc containing biocide and the boron containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of zinc ions to boric acid equivalents is from about 5:1 to about 1:5.

16 . (canceled)

17 . A wood based product treated with the wood preservative composition of claim 1 .

18 . The wood based product of claim 17 , wherein the copper ions are present in the wood based product in an amount from about 200 grams per meter cubed (g/m 3 ) to about 7.5 kg/m 3 ; the zinc ions are present in the wood based product in an amount from about 40 g/m 3 to about 1.5 kg/m 3 ; the boric acid equivalents are present in the wood based product in an amount from about 40 g/m 3 to about 3 kg/m 3 ; and the azole is present in the wood based product in an amount from about 20 g/m 3 to about 280 g/m 3 of the product.

19 . A wood preservative composition comprising:

(a) a copper containing biocide;

(b) a zinc containing biocide;

(c) a boron containing biocide comprising boric acid; and

(d) an azole;

wherein the copper containing biocide and the zinc containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to zinc ions is from about 15:1 to about 3:1;

wherein the copper containing biocide and the boron containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to boric acid equivalents is from about 15:1 to about 1:1;

wherein the copper containing biocide comprises a basic copper carbonate; wherein the zinc containing biocide comprises a zinc oxide or a combination of a zinc oxide and zinc borate;

wherein the boron containing biocide comprises a boric acid; and wherein the azole comprises a tebuconazole.

20 . A method of treating wood with the wood preservative composition of claim 1 , wherein the copper containing biocide, the zinc containing biocide, the boron containing biocide, and the azole are injected into the wood in a one-step process.

21 . A method for manufacturing a wood preservative composition, the method comprising:

(a) dispersing at least a portion of a copper containing biocide and a zinc containing biocide;

(b) micronizing at least one azole to produce a micronized azole; and

(c) combining a boron containing biocide comprising boric acid with the copper containing biocide, the zinc containing biocide, and the micronized azole;

wherein the copper containing biocide and the zinc containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to zinc ions is from about 15:1 to about 1:5, and

wherein the copper containing biocide and the boron containing biocide are present in the wood preservative composition such that a ratio of copper ions to boric acid equivalents is from about 15:1 to about 1:5.

22 . The method of claim 21 , the method further comprising milling the copper containing biocide and the zinc containing biocide with at least one dispersant.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the copper containing biocide comprises a basic copper carbonate; wherein the zinc containing biocide comprises a zinc oxide or a combination of a zinc oxide and a zinc borate; wherein the boron containing biocide comprises a boric acid; and the azole comprises a tebuconazole.