Back to results
US 2026/0258302 A1Published application
Use of granular pyrolytic carbon for soil conditioning
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorsMaximilian Heindl, Dieter Flick, Frederik Scheiff, Alexander Wissemeier, Rainer Preuss, Andreas Bode
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A granular pyrolytic carbon has a density of 1.6 to 2.3 g/cc, a specific surface area of 0.001 to 5 m2/g, a particle size of 0.3 to 8 mm, and a carbon content of 95 to 100 weight-%. The granular pyrolytic carbon can be used for soil conditioning, e.g. to promote growth of plants, to promote soil drainage, and to prevent erosion, evaporation, and silting up. The pyrolytic carbon is preferably used as a mulch.
Claims14
1:
- A soil conditioning substrate, containing:
- granular pyrolytic carbon having
- a density of 1.6 to 2.3 g/cc,
- a specific surface area of 0.001 to 5 m2/g measured by Hg porosimetry,
- a particle size of 0.3 mm (d10) to 8 mm (d90), and
- a carbon content of 95 to 100 weight-%.
3 more elements
2:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, wherein the granular pyrolytic carbon has a density of 1.8 to 2.2 g/cc.
3:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, wherein the granular pyrolytic carbon has a specific surface area in a range of 0.01 to 2 m2/g measured by Hg porosimetry.
4:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, wherein the granular pyrolytic carbon has a bulk density of 0.5 to 1.5 g/cc.
5:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, wherein a fraction of the soil conditioning substrate having a particle size under 5 μm is at most 10 ppm by weight.
6:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, wherein the granular pyrolytic carbon is a hydrophobic material with a contact angle of water droplets of greater than 70.
7:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, wherein the soil conditioning substrate supports at least one different organic or inorganic additive.
8:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 1, further containing mulch seed.
9:
- A method to promote growth of plants on agricultural fields, comprising:
- applying particulate granular pyrolytic carbon having
- a density of 1.6 to 2.3 g/cc,
- a specific surface area of 0.001 to 5 m2/g measured by Hg porosimetry,
- a particle size of 0.3 to 8 mm, and
- a carbon content of 95 to 100 weight-%,
- on the agricultural fields.
4 more elements
10:
- The method according to claim 9, wherein the granular pyrolytic carbon is spread on the agricultural fields in a quantity ranging from 0.5 to 500 tons per ha.
11:
- The method according to claim 9, wherein an initial thickness of a granular pyrolytic carbon layer on the agricultural fields is in a range of 1 mm to 50 mm.
12:
- A method of conditioning soil for agricultural fields and/or gardening, the method comprising:
- mixing a soil conditioner with soil,
- wherein the soil conditioner contains granular pyrolytic carbon having
- a density of 1.6 to 2.3 g/cc,
- a specific surface area of 0.001 to 5 m2/g measured by Hg porosimetry,
- a particle size of 03 mm (d10) to 8 mm (d90), and
- a carbon content of 95 to 100 weight-%.
4 more elements
13:
- The method according to claim 12, wherein the soil conditioner contains mulch seed.
14:
- The soil conditioning substrate according to claim 7, wherein the at least one different organic or inorganic additive is an agrochemical active substance selected from the group consisting of a fungicide, a bactericide, a herbicide, and a plant growth regulator.