CLAIMS

We claim:

1 . A process for modifying wood, comprising: treating the wood with an impregnating solution comprising an alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate, under conditions sufficient to impregnate the wood with one or more of the components of the impregnating solution, wherein the weight ratio of S1O2 to alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) oxide in the alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate ranges from about 2.0 to about 4.0; and adding gaseous carbon dioxide to the treated wood, in the absence or presence of water, under pressure ranging from about 2 to about 12 bars, thereby lowering the pH of the treated wood to about 11 or below, to stabilize and/or fix the components of the impregnating solution in the wood, wherein the process is green, non-toxic as being carried out in the absence of a pesticide or biocide, or as being carried out with an environmentally safe boron level in the impregnating solution of no more than 1 % by wt, and wherein: the concentration of S1O2 in the impregnating solution ranges from about 3 % by wt. to about 15 % by wt., or the gaseous carbon dioxide is added under a pressure ranging from about 6 to about 12 bar, for a period of time from about 15 to about 60 minutes, to lower the pH of the treated wood to about 9 or below.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is green, non-toxic as being carried out in the absence of a pesticide or biocide.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate is sodium silicate, potassium silicate, or calcium silicate.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the weight ratio of (SiC>2)/(Na20) of the sodium silicate in the impregnating solution ranges from about 2.5 to about 3.5.

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5. The process of claim 4, wherein the concentration of S1O2 in the impregnating solution ranges from about 3 % by wt. to about 15 % by wt.

6. The process of claim 4, wherein the concentration of S1O2 in the impregnating solution ranges from about 3 % by wt. to about 6 % by wt.

7. The process of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the treating step, a step of pretreating the wood by drying the wood and/or applying a vacuum to the wood, to achieve a moisture content of the wood of less than about 20%.

8. The process of claim 3, wherein the conditions sufficient to impregnate the wood in the treating step comprise two or more of the following conditions: the concentration of S1O2 in the impregnating solution ranges from about 3 % by wt. to about 15 % by wt. ; the weight ratio of (SiC>2)/(Na20) of the sodium silicate in the impregnating solution ranges from about 2.5 to about 3.5; applying a pressure of about 4 bars to about 20 bars; treating the wood at a temperature ranging from about 15 to about 100 °C; and/or treating the wood for a period of time from about 2 to about 4 hours.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the conditions sufficient to impregnate the wood in the treating step comprise: the concentration of S1O2 in the impregnating solution ranges from about 5 % by wt. to about 10 % by wt. ; the weight ratio of (SiC>2)/(Na20) of the sodium silicate in the impregnating solution ranges from about 2.8 to about 3.2; applying a pressure of about 10 bars to about 20 bars; heating the wood at a temperature ranging from about 50 to about 80 °C; and treating the wood for a period of time from about 2 to about 4 hours.

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10. The process of claim 8, wherein the conditions sufficient to impregnate the wood in the treating step comprise: the concentration of S1O2 in the impregnating solution ranges from about 10 % by wt. to about 15 % by wt. ; the weight ratio of (SiC>2)/(Na20) of the sodium silicate in the impregnating solution ranges from about 2.8 to about 3.2; applying a pressure of about 10 bars to about 20 bars; heating the wood at a temperature ranging from about 20 to about 50 °C; and treating the wood for a period of time from about 2 to about 4 hours.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous carbon dioxide is added under a pressure ranging from about 6 to about 12 bar, for a period of time from about 15 to about 60 minutes, to lower the pH of the treated wood to about 9 or below.

12. The process of claim 1 , further comprising, after the treating step, a step of applying a vacuum to the treated wood to remove residual impregnating solution from the surface of the treated wood and prepare the treated wood for the post-treatment steps.

13. The process of claim 1 , further comprising, after the treating step, heating the treated wood at a temperature ranging from about 50 to about 100 °C, wherein the heating step comprises heating the treated wood with dry air, saturated water vapor, or hot water.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the heating step has a duration of about 2 to about 6 days and comprises varying the rate of increasing the temperature to the stabilized drying temperature and the rate of decreasing the temperature to achieve the desired moisture level target.

15. A process for modifying wood, comprising: i) treating the wood with a first impregnating solution comprising an alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate, under conditions sufficient to impregnate the wood with one or more of the components of the first impregnating solution;

78 ii) treating the wood with a second impregnating solution comprising an alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate at a concentration higher than the concentration of the first impregnating solution, for a period of time shorter than the treating step i), wherein the concentration of alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate in the second impregnating solution ranges from about 10 to 15 % by wt.; iii) carrying out one or more of the following post-treatment step(s) to stabilize and/or fix the components of the first and/or second impregnating solution in the wood: adding gaseous carbon dioxide to the treated wood, in the absence or presence of water, under a pressure ranging from about 2 to about 12 bars, thereby lowering pH of the treated wood to about 11 or below, and/or heating the treated wood at a temperature ranging from about 50 to about 100 °C, wherein the post-treatment step iii) is carried out after the treating step i), prior to the treating step ii), and/or after the treating step ii).

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the treating step ii) comprises the following conditions: treating the wood for a period of time from about 10 to about 30 minutes; applying a pressure of about 2 to about 12 bars; and treating the wood a temperature ranging from about 20 to about 70 °C.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein the process is green, non-toxic as being carried out in the absence of a pesticide or biocide, or as being carried out with an environmentally safe boron level in the first or second impregnating solution of no more than 1 % by wt.

18. The process of claim 15, wherein the alkali metal (or alkaline earth metal) silicate is sodium silicate, potassium silicate, or calcium silicate.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the weight ratio of (SiC>2)/(Na20) of the sodium silicate in the first and/or second impregnating solution ranges from about 2.5 to about 3.5.

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20. The process of claim 18, wherein the concentration of S1O2 in the first impregnating solution ranges from about 3 % by wt. to about 15 % by wt.

21 . The process of claim 18, wherein the conditions sufficient to impregnate the wood in the treating step i) comprise two or more of the following conditions: the concentration of S1O2 in the first impregnating solution ranges from about 3 % by wt. to about 15 % by wt.; the weight ratio of (SiC>2)/(Na20) of the sodium silicate in the first impregnating solution ranges from about 2.5 to about 3.5; applying a pressure of about 4 bars to about 20 bars; treating the wood at a temperature ranging from about 15 to about 100 °C; and/or treating the wood for a period of time from about 2 to about 4 hours.

22. The process of claim 15, wherein the post-treatment step iii) comprises adding gaseous carbon dioxide to the treated wood, in the absence or presence of water, under a pressure ranging from about 2 to about 12 bars, thereby lowering pH of the treated wood to about 11 or below.

23. The process of claim 22, wherein the gaseous carbon dioxide is added under a pressure ranging from about 6 to about 12 bar, for a period of time from about 15 to about 60 minutes, to lower the pH of the treated wood to about 9 or below,

24. The process of claim 15, wherein the post-treatment step iii) comprises heating the treated wood at a temperature ranging from about 50 to about 100 °C, wherein the heating step comprises heating the treated wood with dry air, saturated water vapor, or hot water.

25. Wood modified by the process of claim 1 or 15.

26. The modified wood of claim 25, wherein the wood is lumber, lumber board, lumber pole, laminated lumber, single plate laminate, plywood, particle board, or fiber board.

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27. The modified wood of claim 25, wherein the modified wood is inert, rot resistant, fire resistant, termite resistant, bacteria resistant, and/or fungus resistant.

28. The modified wood of claim 27, wherein the modified wood has an improved strength as compared to unmodified wood, characterized by at least 35% increase in Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) and at least 4% increase in Modulus of Rupture (MOR), measured by ASTM D143-14.

29. The modified wood of claim 27, wherein the modified wood has an improved strength as compared to wood treated by a conventional phosphate-based impregnation process, characterized by at least 100% increase in Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) and at least 15% increase in Modulus of Rupture (MOR), measured by ASTM D143-14.

30. A fire retardant wood modified by the process of claim 1 or 15, wherein the modified fire retardant wood satisfies the Class A fire retardant rating, measured by ASTM E84 10- minute burn test and/or by ASTM E2768 30-minute burn test.