Foamed vitroeous materials for agricultural applications
OwnerW. Gene Ramsey, Andrew Ungerleiderinventors
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Abstract
A foamed glass plant growth support structure, including a foamed glass substrate and a plurality of interconnected pores distributed throughout the substrate. The substrate is characterized by a porosity of at least about 80 percent. The pore size is substantially between about 0.2 and about 5 millimeters and the substrate is sufficiently chemically stable such that water filling the plurality of interconnected pores experiences a pH shift of less than 0.5.
Claims16
A method of making a crushed foamed glass substrate for supporting plant growth, comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing a mixture of powdered glass, foaming agent, hydrophilic agent, and nutrient material;
- b) heating the mixture sufficiently above the dilatometric softening point of the glass so that said mixture foams to form a foamed mixture;
- and
- c) cooling the foamed mixture to room temperature to form a foamed glass substrate material;
- wherein said heating step comprises first heating said mixture to a temperature of at or below the dilatometric softening point of the glass, maintaining this temperature for a sufficient period of time to allow said mixture to absorb heat evenly, and then increasing the temperature sufficiently above the dilatometric softening point of the glass to a foaming temperature so that said mixture foams to form a foamed mixture.
A method of making a foamed glass substrate for supporting plant growth, comprising:
- a) preparing a mixture of glass powder, foaming agent, hydrophilic agent, and plant growth nutrient material;
- b) heating the mixture to a first temperature of approaching the dilatometric softening point of the glass powder;
- c) soaking the mixture substantially at the first temperature for a sufficient time for the mixture to achieve a substantially uniform temperature;
- d) heating the mixture to a second temperature to foam the mixture;
- and
- e) cooling the foamed mixture to room temperature to form a solid hydrophilic foamed glass substrate material;
- wherein the first temperature is at or below the dilatometric softening point of the glass powder;
- wherein the second temperature is above the dilatometric softening point of the glass powder;
- wherein the solid hydrophilic foamed glass substrate material is characterized as having a plurality of interconnected pores distributed therethrough;
- wherein the solid hydrophilic foamed glass substrate material is characterized by a porosity of at least about 60 percent;
- wherein the pore size is substantially between about 0.5 and about 5 millimeters;
- and
- wherein the solid hydrophilic foamed glass substrate material is sufficiently chemically stable such that water filling the plurality of interconnected pores experiences a pH shift of less than 0.5.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.