Water- and oil-absorbent medium comprising milled sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat
AssigneeAgResearch International, Inc.
InventorPeter C. Bilkey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat is milled to create a multitude of sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat particles substantially all of which have a size less than about 850 microns. Particles of milled sphagnum moss have been shown to retain excellent water and oil absorption capabilities until particle sizes become smaller than 180 microns.
Claims21
A mass of milled sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat comprising a multitude of dry sphagnum, dry sphagnum moss, and/or dry sphagnum peat particles substantially all of which have a size less than about 850 microns.
A method of processing harvested organic matter from the group consisting of sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat comprising performing one or more processes on the harvested organic matter to create a mass of dry particles of the organic matter substantially all of which have a size less than about 850 microns.
A method of absorbing fluid that comprises:
- providing a dry mass of sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat substantially all of which have a size less than about 850 microns;
- and
- placing the dry mass in contact with a fluid to be absorbed.
A method of making multiple dry masses of milled sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat, each mass comprising a multitude of sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat particles, the method comprising first drying and the milling harvested sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat and separating the milled particles into multiple masses each having particles within a certain size range.
A method of making an absorbent product, the method comprising processing harvested organic matter from the group consisting of sphagnum, sphagnum moss, and/or sphagnum peat performing one or more processes on the harvested organic matter, including a drying process and thereafter a milling process, to create a mass of dry particles of the organic matter substantially all of which have a size less than about 850 microns, and then incorporating dry particles from the mass into the absorbent product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.