The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 15, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2002
Karl D. Sears, Jesup, GA (US);
Karl D. Sears, Jesup, GA (US);
Rayonier Products and Financial Services Company, Fernandina Beach, FL (US);
Abstract
A pellet for use in conditioning soil made of a lignocellulose fiber matrix having up to 20% by weight of a soil conditioning material incorporated therein. The soil conditioning material comprises one or more synthetic soil conditioning polymers and, optionally, additional soil enhancing additives such as fertilizers, gypsum, and calcium salts. The preferred lignocellulose materials are pulp fibers with an alpha-cellulose purity of greater than about 75% by weight, with preferred lignin content of no higher than 10%. The soil conditioning polymers are preferably polyacrylamides (PAMs) or modified PAMs, but may be a combination of other soil conditioning polymers. The pellet is produced by dispersing the polymers into a bath of lignocellulose fibers. The dispersion is then formed into pellets with a pelletizing machine such that the polymer and other soil conditioning material is interspersed within the matrix formed by the pelletized lignocellulose.