Composite materials promoting the catchment and attachment of seaweed holdfasts
AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorsNorman E. Clough, Eric Dufford, Varendra N. Silva
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some aspects of the disclosure relate to composite materials and cultivation systems with particular utility for use in aquaculture, for example cultivating various species of seaweed. The systems comprise at least one highly tortuous and often micro-fibrous material and at least one material having low tortuosity. These systems may be configured in a variety of shapes and associated with a number of different structures. Some of these composite materials and cultivation systems may be used in both direct and indirect seeding of macroalgae plants such as seaweed.
Claims20
A seaweed cultivation substrate for anchoring a holdfast of a seaweed plant in an aquatic environment, the substrate comprising:
- a first cord extending over a first length and defining an exterior first cord surface configured to face the aquatic environment, the first cord comprising a plurality of first polymer fibers disposed proximate to each other along the first length and defining a first cross-sectional thickness of the first cord, each of the plurality of first polymer fibers further defining a first spacing between adjacent first polymer fibers, the plurality of first polymer fibers and the first spacing together defining a first natural path length extending from the exterior first cord surface and navigating around adjacent first polymer fibers to a first midpoint of the first cross-sectional thickness, the plurality of first polymer fibers and the first spacing together further defining a first tortuosity ratio of the first cord defined by the first natural path length compared to a first straight-line length measured from the exterior first cord surface to the first midpoint;
- a second cord engaging the exterior first cord surface, the second cord extending over a second length and defining an exterior second cord surface configured to face the aquatic environment, the second cord comprising a plurality of second polymer fibers disposed proximate to each other along the second length and defining a second cross-sectional thickness of the second cord, each of the plurality of second polymer fibers further defining a second spacing between adjacent second polymer fibers, the plurality of second fibers and the second spacing together defining a second natural path length extending from the exterior second cord surface and navigating around adjacent second polymer fibers to a second midpoint of the second cross-sectional thickness, the plurality of second polymer fibers and the second spacing together further defining a second tortuosity ratio of the second cord defined by the second natural path length compared to a second straight-line length measured from the exterior second cord surface to the second midpoint;
- wherein the second tortuosity ratio is at least 5 times greater than the first tortuosity ratio.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.