CHARACTERIZATION OF CDDC (COPPER DIMETHYL DITHIOCARBAMATE) TREATED WOOD

This study investigates the chemical interaction between copper dimeth yl dithiocarbamate (CDDC) and wood using various analytical tools such as environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), X-ray diffracto metry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier trans form-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). ESEM and XRD reveal CDDC crystallin e deposits on wood cell wall-lumen interface with approximate particle size of 29 nm. XRD patterns specific to SDDC (sodium dimethyl dithioc arbamate) were observed on treated wood but disappeared after water wa shing. XPS confirms the presence of copper (II) on CDDC treated wood s imilar to that of pure CDDC powder. FTIR suggests that copper from the copper monoethanolamine complex interacts with wood components throug h ligand exchange. The exchange is likely between carboxyl groups from carboxylic acids or lignin phenolic groups and the 2-ethanolamine lig and of the copper complex. In the second step treatment, CDDC is forme d through interaction between copper retained by carboxyl groups and d imethyl dithiocarbamate from SDDC. The negligible solubility of CDDC i n water and the 95 % removal by organic solvent extraction suggest tha t CDDC crystals are attached in wood through physical interaction.