Shaped plant growth nutrient products and processes for the production thereof

• US 20060089259A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everris International B.V. (ICL Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: OMS Investments Incorporated (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company)
• Inventors: Terlingen, Johannes Gijsbertus Antonius, Kuhlmann, Peter, Lerschmacher, Andreas, Eltink, Michael Gustaaf, Out, Gerardus Jacobus Joseph, Driessen, Danny Andreas Maria
• Granted Patent: US 8,399,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 504/101
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/34 Shaped forms, e.g. sheets, not provided for in any other sub-group of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/37 layered or coated with a polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/40 Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Abstract

Shaped plant growth nutrient products such as fertilizer products are provided as well as processes for producing and using such shaped plant growth products. The products comprise active plant growth ingredients mixed with a biodegradable, water dispersible, water soluble, thermoplastic polymeric binding agent. Preferably, the shaped products are in tablet form and the active plant growth ingredient comprises a fertilizer.

Claims

1. A shaped plant growth nutrient product comprising:

active plant growth nutrient granules and

a biodegradable, water dispersible, water soluble, thermoplastic polymeric binding agent.

2. The shaped plant growth nutrient product of claim 1 in tablet form.

3. The shaped plant growth nutrient product of claim 1 wherein the active plant growth nutrient granules are selected from the group consisting of coated and uncoated plant nutrients, biostimulants, growth regulators, plant treating agents, fertilizer additive ingredients, and mixtures thereof.

4. The shaped plant growth nutrient product of claim 3 wherein the granules are coated fertilizer granules.

5. The shaped plant growth nutrient product of claim 1 wherein at least one other component is mixed with the active plant growth nutrient granules and the binding agent, the other component being selected from the group consisting of water-absorbent gels, nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, pheromones, animal repellents, insect repellents and mixtures thereof.

6. The shaped plant growth nutrient product of claim 1 wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of C1-C4-polyalkylene oxide homopolymers, C1-C4-polyalkylene oxide block co-polymers and terpolymers and polyolefin-C1-C4-polyalkylene oxide block copolymers and mixtures thereof.

7. The shaped plant growth nutrient product of claim 6 wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide homopolymers, polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide copolymers, polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide-block-polyethylene oxide terpolymers, polypropylene oxide-block-polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide terpolymers, polyethylene-block-polyethylene oxide copolymers, polyethylene-block-polypropylene oxide copolymers, polypropylene-block-polyethylene oxide copolymers, polypropylene-block-polypropylene oxide copolymers and mixtures thereof.

8. A process for producing shaped plant growth nutrient products comprising:

providing granules of an active plant growth nutrient ingredient;

mixing said granules with a biodegradable, water dispersible, water soluble, thermoplastic polymeric binding agent; and

forming the mixture into a shaped plant growth nutrient product.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the granules are preheated to a temperature in a range of about of 50-100°

C. and then mixed with about 0.1-40 wt % of the binding agent which has previously been heated to form a melt and introducing the resulting mixture into a mold and cooling the mixture in the mold to form the shaped product.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein the product is shaped in tablet form.

11. The process of claim 8 wherein the granules are selected from the group consisting of coated and uncoated plant nutrients, biostimulants, growth regulators, plant treating agents, fertilizer additive ingredients and mixtures thereof.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the granules are coated fertilizer granules.

13. The process of claim 8 wherein at least one other component is mixed with the active plant growth ingredient and the binding agent, the other component being selected from the group consisting of coated fertilizer granules, uncoated fertilizer granules, water-absorbent gels, nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, pheromones, animal repellents, insect repellents and mixtures thereof.

14. The process of claim 8 wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of C1-C4-polyalkylene oxide homopolymers, C1-C4-polyalkylene oxide block co-polymers and terpolymers and polyolefin-C1-C4-polyalkylene oxide block copolymers and mixtures thereof.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide homopolymers, polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide copolymers, polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide-block-polyethylene oxide terpolymers, polypropylene oxide-block-polyethylene oxide-block-polypropylene oxide terpolymers, polyethylene-block-polyethylene oxide copolymers, polyethylene-block-polypropylene oxide copolymers, polypropylene-block-polyethylene oxide copolymers, polypropylene-block-polypropylene oxide copolymers and mixtures thereof.