Biochar coated seeds

• US 10,550,044 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talipot Cool Extract (IP), LLC
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Traxler, Vern, Kim, Han Suk, Malyala, Rajashekharam, Thompson, Timothy Alan, Buege, Brian, Jarand, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Langel, Wayne A
• Application Number:
  US15/184,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20170022117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 1/06 Coating or dressing seed
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/00 Other inorganic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/02 containing trace elements
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/00 Other organic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/02 from peat, brown coal, and similar vegetable deposits
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/08 Organic fertilisers containing added bacterial cultures, mycelia or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/00 Mixtures of one or more fertilisers with additives not having a specially fertilising activity
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/80 Soil conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/02 containing inorganic compounds only
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/04 applied in a physical form other than a solution or a grout, e.g. as granules or gases
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/40 containing mixtures of inorganic and organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/02 Multi-step carbonising or coking processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 71/903 Soil conditioner

Abstract

The present invention provides for biochar coated particles and a method for coating the particles with biochar.

Claims

1. A method for coating a plant seed with biochar, the method comprising the steps of (i) creating a slurry comprised of biochar and a binder wherein the biochar, prior to creating the slurry, is treated by the infusion of one or more liquids into pores of the biochar at least in part by a surfactant infusion treatment, (ii) contacting the seed with the slurry to coat the seed, wherein coating the seed with the slurry improves seed germination, increases seed survivability, increases plant growth and sustains plant life, and (iii) drying the coated seed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder is one or more substances selected from the group:

a starch, sugar, gum arabic, cellulose, clay, and polymer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of contacting the seed with the slurry is repeated until the coat substantially surrounding the seed is between 0.01 and 100 times the diameter of the seed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the slurry further includes a fertilizer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the infusion of one or more liquids into pores of the biochar is accomplished at least in part by a vacuum processing treatment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the seed is one of the following seed types:

grass, corn, wheat, barley, soybeans, rice, sugar beet, ornamental plant, citrus, or vegetable.

7. A method for coating a plant seed with biochar, the method comprising the steps of (i) treating the biochar by the infusion of one or more liquids into pores of the biochar at least in part by a surfactant infusion treatment and (ii) contacting the seed with the treated biochar to coat the seed, wherein coating the seed with the treated biochar improves seed germination, increases seed survivability, increases plant growth and sustains plant life.

8. A method for coating a plant seed with biochar, the method comprising the steps of (i) treating the biochar by the infusion of one or more liquids into pores of the biochar at least in part by a surfactant infusion treatment and (ii) contacting the seed with the treated biochar to coat the seed, wherein the treated biochar is only one of several elements used to coat the seed and wherein coating the seed with the biochar improves seed germination, increases seed survivability, increases plant growth and sustains plant life.

9. A method for coating a plant seed with biochar, the method comprising the steps of (i) treating the biochar by the infusion of one or more liquids into pores of the biochar at least in part by a surfactant infusion treatment, (ii) mixing the treated biochar with other materials used for seed coating and (iii) contacting the treated biochar mixture with the seed, wherein coating the seed with the slurry improves seed germination, increases seed survivability, increases plant growth and sustains plant life.