Artificial soil compositions and related methods
AssigneeKhalifa University of Science and Technology
InventorsSaeed Alhassan Alkhazraji, Kevin Halique
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Abstract
Embodiments include an artificial soil composition for supporting plant growth and related methods. The artificial soil composition may include a mixture including at least three of the following components: (a) an iron oxide-containing industrial byproduct; (b) a sulfur-containing industrial byproduct; (c) a sand component; (d) a clay component; (e) a water-soluble polymer component; (f) a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) source; and (g) an organic matter component. Embodiments further include a method of making an artificial soil composition, a method of growing plants in an artificial soil composition, and the like.
Claims20
An artificial soil composition for supporting plant growth, the artificial soil composition comprising:
- a mixture including an iron oxide-containing industrial byproduct at a proportion of about 15%-25% by weight of the mixture, a sulfur-containing industrial byproduct at a proportion of about 5%-10% by weight of the mixture, and at least one of the following components:
- (a) a sand component;
- (b) a clay component;
- (c) a water-soluble polymer component;
- (d) a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) source;
- and
- (e) an organic matter component.
A method of making an artificial soil composition comprising:
- forming one or more intermediates selected from:
- (i) an aqueous mixture by adding water to one or more first components;
- (ii) a first mixture by mixing one or more second components;
- and
- (iii) an extrudate by extruding one or more third components;
- when exactly one of the aqueous mixture, the first mixture, and the extrudate is formed, processing the intermediate to form an artificial soil composition;
- and
- when two or more of the aqueous mixture, the first mixture, and the extrudate are formed, mixing the two or more intermediates to form a second mixture and processing the second mixture to form the artificial soil composition,
- wherein the artificial soil composition comprises:
- a mixture including an iron oxide-containing industrial byproduct at a proportion of about 15%-25% by weight of the mixture, a sulfur-containing industrial byproduct at a proportion of about 5%-10% by weight of the mixture, and at least one of the following components:
- (a) a sand component;
- (b) a clay component;
- (c) a water-soluble polymer component;
- (d) a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) source;
- and
- (e) an organic matter component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.