Method of growing plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11690332-B2
Application number	US-202016839761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2020
Priority date	Apr 3, 2020
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

A method of growing plants in a coherent growth substrate product is provided and includes: providing at least one coherent growth substrate product comprising man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition; positioning one or more seeds, seedlings, cuttings or plants in contact with the growth substrate product; and irrigating the growth substrate product. The aqueous binder composition prior to curing includes a component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins, a component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers, and a component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of growing plants in a coherent growth substrate product, the method comprising:
providing at least one coherent growth substrate product comprising man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition;
positioning one or more seeds, seedlings, cuttings or plants in contact with the growth substrate product; and
irrigating the growth substrate product;
wherein the aqueous binder composition prior to curing comprises:
a first component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins;
a second component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers; and
a third component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first component (i) is in the form of one or more ammonia-oxidized lignins (AOLs).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second component (ii) comprises one or more cross-linkers selected from β-hydroxyalkylamide-cross-linkers and oxazoline-cross-linkers.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second component (ii) comprises at least one of the following:
one or more cross-linkers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene imine, polyvinyl amine, and fatty amines;
one more cross-linkers in the form of fatty amides;
one or more cross-linkers selected from the group consisting of dimethoxyethanal, glycolaldehyde, and glyoxalic acid;
one or more cross-linkers selected from polyester polyols;
one or more cross-linkers selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC);
one or more cross-linkers in the form of aliphatic multifunctional carbodiimides; and
one or more cross-linkers selected from melamine based cross-linkers.

5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising the second component (ii) in an amount of 1 to 40 wt %, based on a dry weight of the first component (i).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the third component (iii) comprises one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols, polyethylene glycol ethers, polyethers, hydrogenated sugars, phthalates, acids, acrylic polymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyurethane dispersions, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, lactones, lactams, lactides, and polyurethane dispersions with free carboxy groups.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the third component (iii) comprises at least one of the following:
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohols and monohydroxy alcohols;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of alkoxylates;
one or more plasticizers in the form of propylene glycols;
one or more plasticizers in the form of glycol esters;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of adipates, acetates, benzoates, cyclobenzoates, citrates, stearates, sorbates, sebacates, azelates, butyrates, and valerates;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of phenol derivatives;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of silanols and siloxanes;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of sulfates, sulfonates, and phosphates;
one or more plasticizers in the form of hydroxy acids;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of monomeric amides, benzamide, and fatty acid amides;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of vegetable oils;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated oils and acetylated oils;
one or more plasticizers selected from acid methyl esters;
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of alkyl polyglucosides, gluconamides, aminoglucoseamides, sucrose esters, and sorbitan esters; and
one or more plasticizers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycols and polyethylene glycol ethers.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the third component (iii) is present in an amount of 0.5 to 50 wt.-%, based on a dry weight of the first component (i).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous binder composition further comprises a fourth component (iv) in the form of one or more coupling agents.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous binder composition comprises a fifth component (v) in the form of one or more components selected from the group consisting of ammonia, amines, and any salts thereof.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous binder composition comprises a sixth component in the form of urea, in an amount of 5 to 40 wt.-%, based on a dry weight of the first component (i).

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous binder composition consists essentially of:
the first component (i);
the second component (ii);
the third component (iii);
a fourth component (iv) in the form of one or more coupling agents;
optionally a fifth component in the form of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of ammonia, amines, and any salts thereof;
optionally a sixth component in the form of urea;
optionally a seventh component in the form of a more reactive or non-reactive silicone;
optionally a hydrocarbon oil;
optionally one or more surface active agents; and
water.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the MMWF of the coherent growth substrate product have a contact angle with water of less than 90°.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the MMWF of the coherent growth substrate product have a geometric mean fibre diameter in the range of 1.5 to 10 microns.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the growth substrate product has a volume in the range of 0.003 litres to 87 litres.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coherent growth substrate product comprises a liquid-impermeable covering.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coherent growth substrate product has a height of 10 millimeters (mm) to 150 mm.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coherent growth substrate product does not comprise any wetting agent.

19. A coherent growth substrate product comprising man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition, wherein the aqueous binder composition prior to curing comprises:
a first component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins;
a second component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers; and
a third component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

20. An array of two or more coherent growth substrate products, wherein each coherent growth substrate product comprises man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with a cured aqueous binder composition, wherein the aqueous binder composition prior to curing comprises:
a first component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins;
a second component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers; and
a third component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

21. A method of making a growth substrate product comprising the steps of:
providing MMVF;
(ii) spraying the MMVF with an aqueous binder composition;
(iii) collecting and consolidating the MMVF; and
(iv) curing the aqueous binder composition;
wherein the aqueous binder composition prior to curing comprises:
a first component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins;
a second component (ii) in the form of one or

Assignees

• Rockwool As

Inventors

• Janssen Frank Hendrikus Peter
• Johansson Dorte Bartnik
• Nikolic Miroslav

Classifications

• D04H1/4209

  Inorganic fibres · CPC title

• C08K7/10

  Silicon-containing compounds · CPC title

• C08J3/24

  Crosslinking, e.g. vulcanising, of macromolecules (mechanical aspects B29C35/00; crosslinking agents C08K) · CPC title

• C08K5/0016

  Plasticisers · CPC title

• C08L2201/54

  Aqueous solutions or dispersions · CPC title