Wood Fibre Mat for Use as a Plant Substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021068356-A1
Application number	US-201816772283-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2018
Priority date	Dec 18, 2017
Publication date	Mar 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a wood fibre mat for use as a plant substrate including wood fibres, and at least one polar liquid absorbing agent, and a biodegradable binder consisting of polylactic acid fibres and at least one starch. The disclosure also relates to processes for its production.

First claim

1 . A wood fiber mat for use as a plant substrate comprising wood fibers, and at least one polar liquid absorbing agent, further comprising:
5-10% by weight, based on the quantity of wood fibres, of a biodegradable binder of polylactic acid fibres and 5-10% by weight, based on the quantity of wood fibres, of at least one starch.

2 . The wood fiber mat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one starch is selected from the group consisting of: potato starch, corn starch, wheat starch, and rice starch.

3 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one starch is present in native or modified form.

4 . The wood fiber mat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one starch is a derivatized starch selected from the group consisting of: cationic or anionic starch, carboxylated starch, carboxymethylated starch, sulfated starch, phosphorylated starch, etherified starch, oxidized starch containing carboxyl or dialdehyde groups and hydrophobic starches.

5 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one starch is contained in an amount between 5 to 8% by weight, based on the amount of wood fibres (atro).

6 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 1 , wherein the polylactic acid fibres are contained in an amount between 5 to 8% by weight, based on the amount of wood fibres (atro).

7 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 1 , comprising a pH of more than 4.0

8 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one absorbent is an acrylic-based polymer.

9 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 1 , comprising at least one antimicrobial agent in an amount of between 0.5-5 wt %, based on the amount of wood fibres.

10 . A plant substrate comprising the wood fibre mat according to claim 1 .

11 . A process for producing a wood fiber mat according to claim 1 , comprising:
(a) production of wood fibres from lignocellulosic raw material, (b) contacting the wood fibres with at least part of a solution of at least one starch, (c) drying of the wood fibres mixed with the at least one starch, (d) contacting the wood fibres mixed with the at least one starch with polylactic acid fibres, (e) applying the mixture of wood fibres, starch and polylactic acid fibres to a conveyor belt to form a fibre cake, and f) heating and compressing the fibre cake into a wood fibre mat.

12 . The process according to claim 11 , wherein at least a part of the solution of at least one starch together with the polylactic acid fibres is contacted with the wood fibres in step d).

13 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein in a step e1) the mixture of wood fibres, starch and polylactic acid fibres is applied to a first conveyor belt to form a pre-fleece and in a step e2) the pre-fleece is defibered and mixed and the fibre mixture is applied to a second conveyor belt to form a fibre cake.

14 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein at least one absorbent is applied to the pre-fleece and/or the fibre cake.

15 . The process according to claim 13 , wherein at least one antimicrobial agent is applied to the pre-fleece and/or the fibre cake.

16 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one starch is contained in an amount between 5 to 7% by weight, based on the amount of wood fibres (atro).

17 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 6 , wherein the polylactic acid fibres are contained in an amount between 5 to 7% by weight, based on the amount of wood fibres (atro).

18 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 7 , comprising a pH of more than 4.4.

19 . The wood fibre mat according to claim 8 , wherein the acrylic-based polymer comprises a co-polymer of acrylic acid and acrylate.

Assignees

• SWISS KRONO Tec AG

Inventors

• Kalwa Norbert
• Siems Jens

Classifications

• A01G24/23 Primary

  Wood, e.g. wood chips or sawdust · CPC title

• A01G24/44

  in block, mat or sheet form · CPC title

• A01G24/20

  based on or containing natural organic material · CPC title

• A01G24/30

  based on or containing synthetic organic compounds · CPC title