This study investigates the rates of diffusion and ultimate distributions of copper and arsenate components of wood preservatives in wood cell walls following vacuum treatment. Adsorption studies of copper on red pine (Pinus resinosa) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) wood confirm the importance of cation exchange reactions on the ultimate distribution of copper in the wood substance and its strong dependence on pH of the treating solution. Formulations containing both copper and zinc preferentially adsorb or exchange copper relative to zinc. Under high pH conditions, the arsenate anion is significantly adsorbed into the cell wall. The combined adsorption and fixation of low pH CCA solutions is much slower than adsorption of high pH ACA and CZA formulations, but the reaction with wood is more complete. Diffusion coefficients were estimated for the movement of copper and arsenate components of ACA in cell wall material of both aspen and pine sapwood using a simple membrane model for non-steady state diffusion. The longer diffusion paths inherent in the diffuse porous hardwood (aspen) resulted in much slower equalization of the solute in the cell wall matrix than in red pine. However, in both species, equalization was achieved in a relative short time compared to accepted fixation times for conventional waterborne wood preservatives.

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