Lignocellulose fiber composite with soil conditioners
First Claim
1. A soil conditioning composite comprisinga pelletized matrix of lignocellulose fiber and soil conditioning material interspersed within said matrix, wherein said conditioning material is between 1.0% and about 20 wt % by weight of the composite and wherein said soil conditioning material comprises at least one synthetic soil conditioning polymer.
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Abstract
A pellet for use in conditioning soil made of a lignocellulose fiber matrix having up to 20% by weight of a soil conditioning material incorporated therein. The soil conditioning material comprises one or more synthetic soil conditioning polymers and, optionally, additional soil enhancing additives such as fertilizers, gypsum, and calcium salts. The preferred lignocellulose materials are pulp fibers with an alpha-cellulose purity of greater than about 75% by weight, with preferred lignin content of no higher than 10%. The soil conditioning polymers are preferably polyacrylamides (PAMs) or modified PAMs, but may be a combination of other soil conditioning polymers. The pellet is produced by dispersing the polymers into a bath of lignocellulose fibers. The dispersion is then formed into pellets with a pelletizing machine such that the polymer and other soil conditioning material is interspersed within the matrix formed by the pelletized lignocellulose.
51 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A soil conditioning composite comprising
a pelletized matrix of lignocellulose fiber and soil conditioning material interspersed within said matrix, wherein said conditioning material is between 1.0% and about 20 wt % by weight of the composite and wherein said soil conditioning material comprises at least one synthetic soil conditioning polymer.
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22. A method of forming a soil conditioning pellet comprising:
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mixing water, lignocellulose fibers, at least one soil conditioning polymer, and a binder into a mixture;
forming pellets from portions of the mixture with a pelletizer; and
drying the pellets to an average density of between about 4.0 and about 1.0 g/cm3. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of forming a soil conditioning pellet comprising:
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mixing water, lignocellulose fibers, at least one polyacrylamide (PAM) soil conditioning polymer, and a binder into a mixture;
forming pellets from portions of the mixture with a pelletizer; and
drying the pellets. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of forming a soil conditioning pellet comprising:
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mixing water, lignocellulose fibers, at least one soil conditioning polymer, a binder, and a soil enhancing additive selected from the group consisting of calcium salts, gypsum, fertilizer salts, and polysaccharides into a mixture;
forming pellets from portions of the mixture with a pelletizer; and
drying the pellets. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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Specification