The ACQ preservative (Alkaline Copper Quaternary) is an effective wood preservative product that has been actively used commercially since the 2000s. It is mostly used in the construction industry, although it is effective in most applications.
Permacure ACQ is easy to apply through vacuum-pressure impregnation.
Dolphin Bay manufactures two brands of Permacure ACQ, Permacure ACQ 223 and Permacure ACQ 224, to satisfy various market requirements.
Permacure ACQ 223 has three active ingredients, copper (Cu) in the form of copper carbonate, boron in the form of boric acid, and benzammonium chloride (BAC) as a quaternary ammonium salt (quat), while Permacure ACQ 224 has the active ingredients copper and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) as a quat.
Copper (Cu) inhibits the reproduction of bacteria and also acts as a fungicide, preventing the growth of many fungi, including Lenzites trabea, Poria monticola and Lentinus lepideus. The role of copper in Permacure ACQ is a primary fungicide and bacteriostatic agent, allowing the treated wood to be resistant to biological attack.
Boron (B) has a wide spread of uses as an effective biocide and is an especially effective insecticide. Its role in ACQ is to boost the insecticidal function of the preservative and protect wood from attack by xylophagous and detrivorous wood borers (Lyctinae); termites (Termopsidae) and other wood-destroying insects.
Quats (quaternary ammonium salts) such as BAC and DDAC are widely used in many products, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and paints, as preservatives and biocides. Their role in ACQ is to act as both a secondary fungicide, increasing the tolerance of treated timber, and also as an insecticide.
