THE EFFECT OF POST-STEAMING ON COPPER NAPHTHENATE-TREATED SOUTHERN PINE

The reduction of copper from cupric (Cu2+) to cuprous (Cu1+) form in p ost-steamed copper naphthenate-treated southern pine was monitored. Th e amount of cuprous oxide formed after the post-steam treatment was de termined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). About 50% of copper was reduced f rom cupric to cuprous in post-steamed samples treated to a retention o f 0.31 to 0.51% total copper. I-ess than 15% of the copper was reduced to cuprous in the post-steamed samples containing 0.71% total copper. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) was used to collect images of the crystalline cuprous oxide deposits on the wood cell wal ls.