Method of growing plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12376535-B2
Application number	US-202318316754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2023
Priority date	Apr 3, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

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; and
a second component (iia) in the form of one or more of the following:
epoxidize oils based on fatty acid triglycerides;
one or more flexible oligomer or polymer which contains reactive functional groups, wherein
(a) the polymer is selected from: a low Tg acrylic based polymer; a low Tg vinyl based polymer; a and a low Tg polyether; and/or
(b) the reactive functional groups are selected from: carbodiimide groups, anhydride groups, oxazoline groups, and amino groups,

polyethylene imine, polyvinyl amine, or fatty amines;
aliphatic multifunctional carbodiimides;
β-hydroxyalkylamide-cross-linkers; and
oxazoline-cross-linkers.

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 aqueous binder composition comprises component (iia) in an amount of 1 to 40 wt. %, based on the dry weight of the component (i).

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a component (ii) in the form of one or more cross-linkers; and/or
a component (iii) in the form of one or more plasticizers.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the component (ii) comprises at least one of the following:
one or more cross-linkers selected from β-hydroxyalkylamide-cross-linkers and oxazoline-cross-linkers;
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.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the component (iii) comprises at least one of the following:
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, acrylic based polymers with free carboxy groups, and polyurethane dispersions with free carboxy groups;
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 form of propylene glycols;
one or more plasticizers in 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.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein:
(a) the component (ii) is present in an amount of 1 to 40 wt. %, based on a dry weight of the first component (i); and/or
(b) the component (iii) is present in an amount of 0.5 to 50 wt. %, based on a dry weight of the first component (i).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous binder composition further comprises one or more of:
a component (iv) in the form of one or more coupling agents;
a component (v) in the form of one or more components selected from the group consisting of ammonia, amines, and any salts thereof;
a component in the form of urea, in an amount of 5 to 40 wt. %, based on a dry weight of the first component (i).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the aqueous binder composition consists essentially of
a component (i) in the form of one or more oxidized lignins;
a component (iia) in the form of one or more modifiers selected from epoxidised oils based on fatty acid triglycerides;
a component (iv) in the form of one or more coupling agents, such as organofunctional silanes;
optionally a component in the form of one or more compounds selected from the group of ammonia, amines or any salts thereof;
optionally a component in the form of urea;
optionally a component in the form of a more reactive or non-reactive silicones;
optionally a hydrocarbon oil;
optionally one or more surface active agents; and
water.

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

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

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coherent growth substrate product has:
a volume in the range of 0.003 litres to 87 litres; and/or
a height of 10 millimeters (mm) to 150 mm.

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

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

15. 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; and
a second component (iia) in the form of one or more of the following:
epoxidized oils based on fatty acid triglycerides;
one or more flexible oligomer or polymer which contains reactive functional groups, wherein
(a) the polymer is selected from: a low Tg acrylic based polymer; a low Tg vinyl based polymer; a and a low Tg polyether; and/or
(b) the reactive functional groups are selected from: carbodiimide groups, anhydride groups, oxazoline groups, and amino groups,

polyethylene imine, polyvinyl amine, or fatty amines;
aliphatic multifunctional carbodiimides;
β-hydroxy

Assignees

• Rockwool As

Inventors

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

Classifications

• D04H1/641

  characterised by the chemical composition of the bonding agent · CPC title

• D04H1/4209

  Inorganic fibres · CPC title

• C08K5/0016

  Plasticisers · CPC title

• C08K7/10

  Silicon-containing compounds · CPC title

• C08K5/0025

  Crosslinking or vulcanising agents; including accelerators · CPC title