# US 2019/0055168 A1 · Biochar Fertilizer and Related Methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0055168 A1 - Document ID: US20190055168A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/104,432 - Filed: 2018-08-17 - Published: 2019-02-21 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-18 - Assignees: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College - Applicants: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College - Inventors: Jim Jian Wang; Meng Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190055168A1 ## CPC - C05F 5/002: {Solid waste from mechanical processing of material, e.g. seed coats, olive pits, almond shells, fruit residue, rice hulls} - A01C 21/00: Methods of fertilising {, sowing or planting} - C10B 53/02: of cellulose-containing material (production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00) - C10B 57/06: containing additives - Y02A 40/20: Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - Y02P 20/145: the feedstock being materials of biological origin - C05F: ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - C10B: DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS (cracking oils C10G; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Compositions including a biochar, and related methods are described herein. The composition can be produced by contacting a biomass with a pretreatment agent including an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal to form a pretreated biomass, and pyrolyzing the pretreated biomass under conditions sufficient to form a biochar. A related method includes contacting soil with the composition thereby increasing a soluble plant available silicon content in the soil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: contacting a biomass with a pretreatment agent comprising an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal to form a pretreated biomass; and pyrolyzing the pretreated biomass under conditions sufficient to form a biochar. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment agent to biomass ratio is from 1:100 to 50:100, on a weight basis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment agent to biomass ratio is 10:100. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pyrolyzing step is carried out at a temperature in the range of about 350° C. to about 600° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising dehydrating the pretreated biomass prior to the pyrolyzing step. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the dehydrating step is carried out at a temperature in the range of about 150° C. to about 180° C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium, calcium, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment agent comprises at least one selected form the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment agent comprises calcium oxide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the biomass comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of rice straw, rice husk, sugar cane harvest residue, miscanthus, and switch grass. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the biomass comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of rice straw, rice husk, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein the pretreatment agent comprises calcium oxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the pretreatment agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 A composition comprising a biochar having at least the following characteristics: a pH in the range of about 8 to about 11, based on 1:100 biochar to deionized water ratio; a total potassium content in the range of about 13.31 g/kg to about 378.33 g/kg, as measured by inductively coupled emission spectrometry; and a soluble plant available silicon content in the range of about 0.75 wt. % to about 6.0 wt. % or greater, based on total weight of the composition containing biochar, wherein the soluble plant available silicon content is determined by 5-day Na2CO3—NH4NO3 extraction. ### Claim 15 A composition comprising a biochar having at least the following characteristics: a pH in the range of about 9.5 to about 10.5, based on 1:100 biochar to deionized water ratio; a total potassium content in the range of about 79.77 g/kg to about 183.78 g/kg, as measured by inductively coupled emission spectrometry; and a soluble plant available silicon content in the range of about 0.75% to about 6.0 wt. % or greater, based on total weight of the composition containing biochar, wherein the soluble plant available silicon content is determined by 5-day Na2CO3—NH4NO3 extraction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A method comprising: contacting soil with the composition according to claim 14 thereby increasing a soluble plant available silicon content in the soil. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A composition comprising a biochar prepared by the method according to claim 1.