AG-wafer product and method of making same

• US 20070283620A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSC Mat, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mat Incorporated
• Inventors: Karpik, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/9
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0262 Mulches, i.e. covering material not-pre-formed in mats or sheets A01G13/0281 takes precedence; composition of mulches C09K17/52
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/28 specially adapted for farming

Abstract

A compressed wafer mulch, the compressed wafer mulch including corn stover fibers, paper fibers, compost or a mixture thereof, and a method of making the same.

Claims

1. A compressed wafer mulch, the compressed wafer mulch comprising:

corn stover fibers; and

paper fibers.

2. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 1 further comprising compost.

3. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 2 wherein said compost is selected from the group consisting of yard waste, straw, hay, manure and mixtures thereof.

4. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 2, said compressed wafer mulch comprising about 25% compost.

5. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 1 further comprising a binder in an amount of about 1% to about 5%.

6. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 4, the compressed wafer mulch comprising about 3% binder, about 25% paper fibers and about 73% corn stover fibers.

7. A compressed wafer mulch, the compressed wafer mulch comprising:

corn stover fibers; and

compost.

8. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 7 wherein said compost is selected from the group consisting of hay, manure, wood fibers, straw, leaves, grass clippings and mixtures thereof.

9. The compressed wafer mulch of claim 7 said compressed wafer mulch comprising about 25% compost and about 75% corn stover fibers.

10. A method of making a compressed wafer mulch, the method comprising the steps of:

providing corn stalk material;

defibrating the corn stalk material to form corn stover fibers;

mixing the corn stover fibers with at least one member selected from the group consisting of corn stover fibers, and paper fibers, compost or both, and mixtures thereof into a mulch;

pelletizing the mulch; and

compressing the pelletized mulch into a wafer.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising mixing with said corn stover fibers, at least one member selected from the group consisting of polymers, tackifying resins, bonding fibers, waxes, wetting agents, colorants, perfumes, inoculants, preservatives, fire retardants, synthetic fibers, other natural fibers, acetate, rayon, cotton, leather, wool, coconut, kanaffe, jute and mixtures thereof.

12. The method of claim 10, said compressed wafer mulch comprising compost, said compost comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of soy bean straw, oat hulls, alfalfa, yard waste, dairy waste and mixtures thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said defibrating is thermomechanical.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of harvesting said corn stalk material.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said harvesting is stand harvesting.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said method is a substantially dry method of making a wafer mulch.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said corn stover fibers have a moisture content of less than about 25% by weight of said corn stover fibers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said corn stover fibers have a moisture content of about 10% by weight to about 15% by weight of said corn stover fibers.

19. The method of claim 16, said compressed wafer mulch comprising about:

about 50 wt-% to about 75 wt-% corn stover fibers;

0 wt-% to about 50 wt-% compost;

0 wt-% to about 25 wt-% paper fibers; and

0 wt-% to about 5 wt-% polymer;

wherein said compost, said paper fibers or both are not less than 25 wt-% of the total compressed wafer.

20. The method of claim 19, said compressed wafer mulch comprising about 20 wt-% to about 30 wt-% compost.