JPH0547166B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an artificial soil block for plant cultivation.

<Conventional technology> As is well known, soil conditions are very important in plant cultivation, especially soil conditions that are excellent in water retention and air permeability, have low resistance to root elongation, and contain appropriate nutrients. It is also required that the plants have good support and retention properties. In order to meet these conditions, natural soils such as red soil, black soil, Kanuma soil, and humus, sands such as Kiryu sand, pumice, and Fuji sand, and mica-based raw ore are fired and expanded. Soil improvement has been carried out by incorporating artificial soils such as vermiculite and perlite.

However, the above natural soil and artificial soil are
Each alone cannot simultaneously satisfy properties such as water retention, air permeability, plant support, and retention. That is, among the above-mentioned natural soils, humus is rich in nutrients and has good water retention and air permeability, but it does not have sufficient support and retention for plants. Although sand has good drainage, it is low in nutrients and does not have sufficient water retention, plant support, or retention. Furthermore, although artificial soil has good air permeability, it is expensive and tends to dry out easily. Therefore,
In the case of natural soil and artificial soil, in order to adjust properties such as water retention and air permeability, various soils must be mixed in appropriate proportions, making soil preparation work complicated. Moreover, both the natural soil and the artificial soil are not only powdery, but also relatively heavy, making handling inconvenient and making the adjustment work even more complicated. Furthermore, when the above-mentioned natural soil or artificial soil is used for cultivating potted plants indoors, there is a problem that the soil tends to spill out of the pot during handling and easily stains the floor.

In order to solve these problems, a method for producing a foam that can be used as a soil block for plant cultivation has been proposed (Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-3800).

The manufacturing method disclosed in the publication is to obtain a foam by mixing a low-boiling liquid such as monofluorotrichloromethane with water, inorganic powder and granules, and a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, and foaming the mixture. The foam contains approximately 33 to 67% by weight of inorganic powder and 67% by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer.
Contains about 33% by weight.

Other foams are obtained by foaming a mixture of water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, an inorganic substance, and a low-boiling liquid, and have an inorganic content of 70 to 99%.
% by weight (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-253637).

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, the above foams are still insufficient to be used as artificial soil blocks.

That is, since the first foam does not contain organic matter, when used as an artificial soil block, the first foam has the problem that it is too hard and prevents roots from growing within the block. Furthermore, when a large amount of water-soluble urethane prepolymer is contained, there is a problem that the water-soluble urethane prepolymer gels and hardens, impairing the penetration of water such as a nutrient solution.

In addition, since the content of water-soluble urethane prepolymer in the second foam is small at 1 to 30% by weight, there is no problem of poor water permeability due to gel hardening. Since the foam contains hydraulic inorganic substances, there is a problem that, like the first foam, the growth of roots within the block may be hindered.

For this reason, it has been expected that an artificial soil block will emerge that does not have the problems of the natural soil and can solve the problems of the foam.

Furthermore, it has been expected that a method for producing artificial soil blocks without using low-boiling liquids, which are generally expensive and have problems in handling safety, has been expected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the invention as claimed in claims 1 and 2 is to mix an appropriate amount of organic matter to form a water-soluble urethane prepolymer and slag in the block. By keeping the content at an appropriate level, we can create an artificial soil block for plant cultivation that satisfies properties such as water retention and air permeability, has excellent support and retention for plants despite being lightweight, and is easy to handle. It is on offer.

<Means and effects for solving the problem> The artificial soil block for plant cultivation according to the invention according to claim 1 for achieving the above object (hereinafter referred to as "the product of the present invention") contains at least water and a water-soluble soil block. Urethane prepolymer, clay, organic matter,
An artificial soil block for plant cultivation obtained by foaming by mixing with a gas, containing 15% by weight or more and less than 70% by weight of cetacean,
In addition, the total amount of snails and organic matter is 70 to 99% by weight.
The product of the present invention according to the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that it contains: This is an artificial soil block for plant cultivation.
It is characterized by containing in a range of 15% by weight or more and less than 70% by weight, and containing 70 to 99% by weight of slag and organic matter in total.

The water-soluble urethane prepolymer is water-soluble and has free isocyanate groups, for example, by reacting a hydrophilic polyether polyol with an excess amount of an isocyanate compound to generate free isocyanate groups. The various prepolymers obtained are used.

As the above hydrophilic polyether polyol,
For example, polyethylene glycol alone, polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, trimethylolpropane, trimethylolethane, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, polyester polyol, bisphenol A, and alkylene Examples include reactants with oxides such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

Examples of the isocyanate compound include compounds having two or more isocyanate groups, such as tolylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate.

The water-soluble urethane prepolymer may be stabilized by masking the isocyanate groups with a masking agent such as acidic sodium sulfite.

The content of water-soluble urethane prepolymer is 1 to 30
% by weight is preferred, more preferably 1-25% by weight
It is. The preferred content is 1 to 30% by weight.
If it exceeds 30% by weight, it will not only increase the cost, but also increase the resistance to plant root elongation, which will have a negative effect on growth. This is because the above-mentioned shape retention properties and plant support/retention properties become insufficient.

Note that the above weight % indicates the content after water is removed from the soil block by drying. The same applies to the weight percentages shown below.

The above-mentioned settsukou includes natural settsukou and chemical settsukou.Natural settsukou includes colorless transparent plate-shaped crystal settsukou, pure white fine crystal settsukou snow flower settsukou, silk lustrous fiber settsukou, and other leaf-like settsukou.
Examples include granular and earth-like materials, and chemical materials include phosphoric acid materials, titanium materials,
Examples include fluoric acid sulfur, those obtained by desulfurization of heavy oil, and those produced by-products from flue gas desulfurization. In addition to improving the shape retention of the block itself,
In order to improve the support growth and retention of cultivated plants, it is preferable to use a baked snail that has hydraulic properties and is obtained by heating and dehydrating the above-mentioned snail. This is because when using a hydraulically hardened mold, the foam hardens and the foam does not shrink in volume after foaming, resulting in a foam that retains its original shape and has a low bulk density. This is because it is possible to produce an artificial soil block that is lightweight and has excellent plant support and retention properties.

Examples of baked snails include α-snails dehydrated in a saline solution such as aluminum sulfate in an autoclave, β-sacs dehydrated by heating in a vacuum, snails heated and dehydrated in a kettle, and semi-hydrated snails. Among these grilled rice cakes, α−
Setsukou and semi-hydrated settsukou have different characteristics such as hardening properties.
preferable.

In the invention according to claims 1 and 2, the total amount of soil and organic matter is set to 70 to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the artificial soil block for plant cultivation. This is because the preferred blending amount of the prepolymer is 1 to 30% by weight. Note that 85 to 99% by weight is more preferable.

In addition, in the inventions described in claims 1 and 2, the amount of cetacean added is in the range of 15% by weight or more and less than 70% by weight.
This is because when water and organic matter are added and dispersed, the viscosity is too low to form foam, and the reason why the content is less than 70% by weight is that if it is more than 70% by weight, the block becomes too hard. This is because, depending on the plant, the elongation resistance becomes too large and the healthy growth of roots may be hindered.

Examples of the organic substances that can be added to the rice cake include peat moss, bark mint, sludge, finely pulverized plastic, paper waste, old tire powder, sawdust, rice husks, leaf mold, and the like.

The amount of organic matter blended is preferably 1 to 84% by weight, more preferably 10 to 80% by weight, based on the entire artificial soil block.

For example, if the bulk density of peat moss is 0.1 g/ ^cm3 ,
Assuming that the density of roasted soil is 2.3 g/ ^cm3 , when creating an artificial soil block with a peat moss content of 1% by weight and a roasted soil content of 60% by weight, the bulk ratio of both is 23: It will be 60.

The preferred blending amount is 1 to 84% by weight because if the blending amount of organic matter is less than 1% by weight, when the block dries out, it becomes too hard and hinders the growth of plants. This is because if the amount of organic matter blended is small, the gas phase within the block will be small and the air permeability will be reduced. For example, in the case of a single inorganic substance such as rock wool, when the moisture content is at its maximum, the gas phase is almost gone and root rot may occur. In other words, by mixing organic matter, it is possible to create an artificial soil block that will not cause root rot even if overwatered. On the other hand, the reason why it is preferable that the content of organic matter is 84% by weight or less is because if it exceeds 84% by weight, it becomes impossible to achieve the above-mentioned preferred content for the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and slag. be.

Furthermore, in order to further enhance the shape retention, support, and retention properties, an appropriate amount of fibrous material may be blended into the above-mentioned clay at an appropriate stage depending on the desired shape retention. Examples of such fibrous materials include natural fibers such as cotton and linen, synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester, and inorganic fibers such as rock wool, asbestos and glass fiber.

Furthermore, fertilizer may be added at an appropriate stage.
Various types of fertilizers can be used, including natural fertilizers such as bone and oil cake; ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium chloride, lime nitrogen, superphosphate lime, and dissolved phosphorus fertilizers. , chemical fertilizers such as calcined phosphorus fertilizer, potassium chloride, and potassium sulfate, and compound fertilizers; fertilizers in which calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, molybdenum, iron, boron, etc. are added to the above fertilizers, and the like. The above fertilizers may be used singly or in combination of two or more depending on the purpose. The above-mentioned fertilizer may be added to and contained in the artificial soil block at the time of manufacture, or may be contained in the artificial soil block by means such as impregnation or spraying after manufacture.

In addition, silicic acid clay that prevents rotting and purifies the soil, vitality agents that promote plant activity, dwarfing agents that suppress overgrowth of plants, root rot preventive agents, coloring agents, etc. are added at appropriate stages. It's okay.

Furthermore, a water-absorbing polymer may be blended, and in this case, the watering interval during plant cultivation can be lengthened, and as a result, the labor for plant cultivation can be reduced.

By the above formulation, artificial soil blocks having various bulk densities can be obtained, preferably from 0.02 to 1 g/cm ³ , and particularly preferably from 0.05 to 0.5 g/cm ³ .
If the bulk density is less than 0.02 g/cm ³ , plant support and retention will be insufficient, and if it exceeds 1 g/cm ³ , water retention,
This is because it becomes difficult not only to improve breathability but also to reduce weight.

Moreover, by the above-mentioned combination, products with various expansion ratios can be obtained, but in general, foaming ratios of 2 to 100 times are preferable, and those of 5 to 50 times are more preferable.

In addition, the above-mentioned artificial soil block can be molded into an appropriate shape and size depending on the purpose and the like.

The artificial soil block according to the present invention can be manufactured by various methods.

For example, after dissolving a water-soluble urethane prepolymer in water, adding and mixing Setsukou etc. and foaming by mixing gas into the mixed dispersion,
After dispersing Setsukou etc. in water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer is added and mixed and gas is mixed to foam the mixed dispersion, or a low boiling point liquid such as Freon is mixed in place of gas to foam. It can be manufactured by

However, as described above, the above-mentioned method using a low-boiling point liquid such as chlorofluorocarbons has practical problems because the low-boiling point liquid is generally expensive and lacks safety in handling.

Therefore, in the case of the above-mentioned production methods, that is, after dissolving or dispersing at least one of the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and the sludge in water, at least the other of the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and the sludge is mixed, and the mixing The gas is mixed and foamed at an appropriate stage. Among these methods, the above method in which the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and water are mixed after the fact is easier to work with than the above method in which the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and water are mixed in advance. Not only can the stability of the aqueous dispersion be increased, but also the temperature of the aqueous dispersion can be increased, so the dispersibility of the phlegm in the aqueous dispersion can be improved. Therefore, according to the above method, the uniformity of the mixed dispersion obtained by mixing the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and the aqueous dispersion can be improved, and even if the slag content is high, the uniformity of the foam can be improved. Integrity, water retention, air permeability, plant support, retention, etc. can be improved.

Gas can be supplied by moving the stirring blade up and down and left and right to draw in air, by forcibly feeding gas into the mixed dispersion to mix and stir, or by using a closed system and injecting gas into the mixed dispersion. After that, there is a method of mixing and stirring. The amount of gas to be supplied should be determined based on the desired density and the amount of mixed dispersion to be supplied. That is, if the amount of gas supplied is large relative to the amount of mixed dispersion liquid supplied, bumping phenomenon occurs and a clean foam cannot be obtained. Examples of the gas to be supplied include air, nitrogen, and carbon gas.

According to this method, since foaming is performed using gas without using a foaming agent, it can be manufactured at low cost. It is also superior in terms of safety because it does not use flammable substances such as pentane.

In addition, in order to improve the dispersibility of the surfactant, a nonionic, cationic, or anionic surfactant may be used together with the surfactant, or a surfactant that has been treated with these surfactants may be used. Surfactants are used alone or in combination of two or more, and are usually 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the above-mentioned surfactant.
Preferably 0.005 to 1.5 parts by weight are used.

The ratio of water to water is determined by the dispersibility of water,
It can be set as appropriate within a range that does not impair workability, etc., but usually water is added to 100 parts by weight
50-5000 parts by weight are used.

Further, the ratio of water-soluble urethane prepolymer to water can be set appropriately depending on workability, etc., but 250 to 5000 parts by weight of water, preferably 500 to 500 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer. 4000
Parts by weight are used. If the amount of water is less than 250 parts by weight, it is difficult to obtain a homogeneous mixture;
If the weight part is exceeded, not only will a large amount of heat be required to remove water from the expanded water-containing foam, but also it will be difficult to obtain a gel-like product due to the reaction between the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and water. The soil block becomes brittle.

Then, by drying and removing the water contained in the water-containing foam obtained as described above, an artificial soil block is obtained. Moisture can be removed under appropriate conditions, for example by heating and drying at a temperature of 100° C. or lower for about 1 to 10 hours or by drying under reduced pressure.

Example 1 1.5 g of surfactant (manufactured by Kao Corporation, trade name "Emar D-3-D") was dissolved in 360 g of water, and peat moss (gulf island peat moss, manufactured by Co. Inc.) was dissolved.
Add 45g and 150g of Baked Setsukou (manufactured by San-S Gypsum Co., Ltd., trade name "K") and stir and mix in a beaker.
In addition to adjusting the aqueous dispersion, water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Toho Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name "OH grout")
OH-1'') was added and mixed uniformly with stirring.
Then, the mixture was stirred and mixed by moving the stirring blade up and down to incorporate as much air as possible.

The above mixed dispersion was poured into a mold of 250 mm x 250 mm x 35 mm and left at a temperature of 20° C. for 10 minutes to harden to produce an artificial soil block.

After drying at a temperature of 60℃ for 3 hours, the artificial soil block was made with 21% by weight of peat moss and roasted clay.
It contained 70% by weight and 9% by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer, and its bulk density was 0.17g/cm ³ . Also, plant red dianthus in the soil block above, give it enough water, and keep it at a temperature of 20℃.
When left for 5 days at 65PHR, germination rate was 98
It was %.

Example 2 260 g of Bark Min (manufactured by Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.) and 140 g of Yakitsukou (manufactured by San-S Gypsum Co., Ltd., trade name "K") were mixed. Meanwhile, in a beaker, add 330 g of water and a surfactant (manufactured by NOF Corporation, product name "Starhome DO")
After dissolving 2 g of water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Sanyo Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name:
104'') was dissolved, and the above preparation was added and mixed by stirring.

The mixture was stirred and mixed while blowing air into the mixture from a compressor through a hose.

This mixed solution, into which air had been pumped, was poured into a No. 5 pot and left to harden for 10 minutes at a temperature of 20°C to produce an artificial soil block.

After drying for 10 hours at a temperature of 60℃, the artificial soil block contains 59% by weight of Barkmin and 32% of Yakisekou.
9% by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer
The bulk density was 0.22 g/cm ³ .

Example 3 Put 320 g of water in a beaker, and add 400 g of Yakisekou (manufactured by San-S Gypsum Co., Ltd., trade name "K"), and while stirring and mixing uniformly, add to the above aqueous dispersion,
A hose connected to a liquefied carbon dioxide gas cylinder (manufactured by Mitsui Toatsu Liquidated Co., Ltd.) is introduced, and carbon dioxide gas is fed through the hose while stirring and mixing, and a water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Toho Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name: 17 g of OH grout (OH-1) was added and the mixture was stirred and mixed until the mixture became uniform.

Pour the above mixed liquid containing carbon dioxide into a 250mm×
An artificial soil block was prepared by pouring it into a 250 mm x 35 mm mold and leaving it for 20 minutes at 20°C to harden.

After drying at a temperature of 60° C. for 3 hours, the artificial soil block contained 96% by weight of baked clay and 4% by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer, and its bulk density was 0.37 g/cm ³ .

Example 4 An artificial soil block was created using a mixer (manufactured by HANSA, model K-900).

In other words, baked settsukou (manufactured by San-S Gypsum Co., Ltd.:
Product name K) 40 parts by weight (hereinafter abbreviated as "parts"), fly ash (manufactured by Kanden Kako Co., Ltd., product name "Kanden Fly Ash") 60 parts, 59 parts water for a total of 100 parts,
Surfactant (manufactured by Kao Corporation, product name “Emar D-3”)
0.01 part of the solution was poured into tank 1 (see Figure 1).

The aqueous dispersion was mixed and stirred and supplied from the bottom of the tank 1 to the mixing head 3 by a snake pump 2, and during the supply, compressed air was supplied from a compressor 4 at a pressure of 5 bar.

Then, in the mixing head section 3, the aqueous dispersion and air are stirred and mixed by a large number of protrusions 3c provided on the core section 3a and the outer tube section 3b.
10 parts of a water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Toho Chemical Co., Ltd.; trade name: OH Graft OH-1) was injected.

Furthermore, the foamed aqueous dispersion is taken out from the discharge port of the mixing head section 3 and injected into the mold 5.
After being left for 20 minutes, it was removed from the mold 5 and dried in a dryer at a temperature of 60° C. for 4 hours. The obtained artificial soil block contained 36% by weight of baked clay, 55% by weight of fly ash, and 9% by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer, and had a bulk density of 0.32 g/cm ³ .

Example 5 Put 6.5 kg of water into a 30 container and add 1 kg of peat moss (manufactured by Gulf Island Peat Moss Co., Inc.).
and 3 kg of Yakisetsukou (manufactured by San-S Gypsum Co., Ltd., trade name "K") were added and uniformly stirred and mixed to prepare an aqueous dispersion. -1”)
0.5Kg, silicone as a bubble regulator (Toray・
A mixed solution was prepared by uniformly stirring and mixing 3 g (manufactured by Silicon Co., Ltd., trade name "SH193") and 30 g of normal pentane.

Next, when the mixed liquid was added to the aqueous dispersion while stirring and mixing, foaming started.

This foaming liquid is 100mm x 600mm x 400mm.
An artificial soil block was created by pouring it into a mold and leaving it at a temperature of 20°C for 20 minutes to foam.

After drying for 24 hours at a temperature of 90℃, the artificial soil block has excellent water retention, breathability, elasticity, water retention, etc., and contains 22% by weight of peace moss, 67% by weight of roasted moss, and water-soluble urethane. Prepolymer 11
% by weight, and its bulk density was 0.17 g/cm ³ .

Example 6 Dissolve 5 g of a surfactant (manufactured by Kao Corporation, trade name "Emar D-3-D") in 800 g of water, and then add yakisekou (manufactured by San-S Gypsum Co., Ltd., trade name "K").
Add 280 g, Barkmin (manufactured by Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.), 350 g, and 70 g of fly ash (manufactured by Kanden Kako Co., Ltd., trade name: "Kanden Fly Ash"), stir and mix evenly.
An aqueous dispersion was prepared. This aqueous dispersion was added to a water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Toho Chemical Co., Ltd., product name: OH
After adding 60 g of "Graft OH-1"), 30 g of monofluorotrichloromethane (manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., trade name "Asahi Flon 11") was further added, and foaming started.

100mm x 100mm x 320mm
An artificial soil block was created by pouring the mixture into a mold and leaving it for 20 minutes at a temperature of 20°C to allow it to foam.

After drying for 2 hours at a temperature of 70℃, the artificial soil block has excellent water retention, breathability, elasticity, water retention, etc., and contains 37% by weight of Yakisetsukou, 46% by weight of Bark Min, and 9% of Fly Ash. It contained 8% by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer, and its bulk density was 0.24 g/cm ³ .

Since the products of the present invention obtained in Examples 1 to 6 have a foam structure, they not only have excellent water retention and breathability, but are also lightweight and easy to handle, and have excellent support and retention properties for plants. It was excellent.

Furthermore, even when used indoors as artificial soil for potted plants, since it was integrated as a block, it did not spill out of the pot during handling and did not stain the floor etc.

Furthermore, depending on the size of the pot and the width and size of the culture medium, an appropriate number of artificial soil blocks of a predetermined shape can be laid or cut, which not only makes it easy to create the culture medium. Since it is easy to make an incision, it is easy to root plants in the incision and sow seeds, etc., without digging up artificial soil, and since the seeds are retained in the incision, Seeds, etc. were not washed away due to rain, etc.

Furthermore, artificial soil blocks with different soil contents, nutrients, fertilizer contents, etc. are arranged in a form suitable for the growth of the plants to be cultivated, for example, artificial soil blocks with a large nutrient content, etc. are arranged in the rooted part of the plant. etc., can be arranged in any desired form.

As described above, the product of the present invention is suitable as agricultural and horticultural soil.

<Effects of the Invention> Since the product of the present invention is a foam containing an appropriate amount of clay and organic matter, it not only has excellent shape retention, water retention, and air permeability, but is also lightweight and easy to handle. Furthermore, the present invention has excellent practical effects such as excellent plant support and retention properties.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus used in Example 4. 1...tank, 2...snake pump, 3...
Mixing head section, 4... Compressor, 5
...Formwork.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An artificial soil block for plant cultivation obtained by foaming a mixture of at least water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, soil, an organic substance, and a gas, comprising 15% of soil by weight. % or more and less than 70% by weight, and the total amount of phlegm and organic matter is 70% by weight.
An artificial soil block for plant cultivation characterized by containing ~99% by weight. 2. An artificial soil block for plant cultivation obtained by foaming a mixture consisting of at least water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, sludge, an organic substance, and a low boiling point liquid, which contains 15% by weight or more of sludge and 70% by weight. %, and the total amount of phlegm and organic matter is 70%.
An artificial soil block for plant cultivation characterized by containing ~99% by weight.