Dissolvable glass fibres for wood preservatives and degradable composite materials

A wood preservative, comprising:

• a fibre structure formed from dissolvable glass fibres, the dissolvable glass fibres comprising one or more boron compounds and one or more alkali compounds, the dissolvable glass fibres comprising between 82 and 97 mol % B2O3, the dissolvable glass fibres having a composition and dissolution rate suitable for use as a wood preservative;
• wherein the dissolvable glass fibres comprise dissolvable glass staple fibres made from chopped filament or roving, and is incorporated within the structure of an engineered fibre composite panel.

A wood preservative, comprising:

• a non-woven pad adapted to be applied to a surface of wood to be preserved, the non-woven pad being formed from dissolvable glass fibres comprising one or more boron compounds and one or more alkali compounds, the one or more boron compounds comprising between 82 and 97 mol % B2O3;
• wherein the dissolvable glass fibres are coated with a water-soluble binder that binds the dissolvable glass fibres in the non-woven pad.

An engineered fibre composite panel, comprising:

• a fibre structure formed from dissolvable glass fibres, the dissolvable glass fibres comprising one or more boron compounds and one or more alkali compounds, the one or more boron compounds comprising between about 82 and 97 mol % B2O3, wherein the dissolvable glass fibres comprise dissolvable glass staple fibres made from chopped filament or roving, and further comprise a wood preservative that is incorporated within the structure of an engineered fibre composite panel.

A fibre structure formed from dissolvable glass fibres, the dissolvable glass fibres comprising one or more boron compounds and one or more alkali compounds, the one or more boron compounds comprising between about 82 and 97 mol % B2O3, wherein the dissolvable glass fibres are coated by a water-soluble coating that is distinct from the dissolvable glass fibres.