BIOMEDIA COMPOSITIONS FOR PEAT-REPLACEMENT PRODUCTS, AND PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING BIOMEDIA COMPOSITIONS
Some variations provide a biomedia composition comprising: from 50 wt % to 75 wt % total carbon, on a dry basis, according to ASTM D5373, wherein the total carbon is renewable according to ASTM D6866 ( 14 C/ 12 C isotopic ratio); from 20 wt % to 40 wt % oxygen, on a dry basis, according ASTM D5373; from 3 wt % to 10 wt % hydrogen, on a dry basis, according to ASTM D5373; and from 0.1 wt % to 2 wt % nitrogen, on a dry basis, according to ASTM D5373, wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by volatile-matter content from 50 wt % to 75 wt %, according to ASTM D3175; wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by ash content from 1 wt % to 25 wt %, according to ASTM D3174; and wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by moisture content from 0 to 75 wt %, according to ASTM D3173. Processes are also described to make and use the biomedia compositions.
1 . A biomedia composition comprising:
from about 50 wt % to about 75 wt % total carbon, on a dry basis, according to an ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition, wherein the total carbon is at least 50% renewable according to an ASTM D6866 measurement of the 14 C/ 12 C isotopic ratio of the total carbon;
from about 20 wt % to about 40 wt % oxygen, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition;
from about 3 wt % to about 10 wt % hydrogen, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition; and
from about 0.1 wt % to about 2 wt % nitrogen, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition,
wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by a volatile-matter content from about 50 wt % to about 75 wt %, according to an ASTM D3175 proximate analysis of the biomedia composition;
wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by an ash content from about 1 wt % to about 25 wt %, according to an ASTM D3174 proximate analysis of the biomedia composition; and
wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by a moisture content from 0 wt % to about 75 wt %, according to an ASTM D3173 proximate analysis of the biomedia composition.
2 . The biomedia composition of claim 1 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises from about 55 wt % to about 70 wt % total carbon, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition.
3 . The biomedia composition of claim 1 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises from about 60 wt % to about 65 wt % total carbon, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition.
4 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the total carbon is at least 80% renewable according to the ASTM D6866 measurement of the 14 C/ 12 C isotopic ratio of the total carbon.
5 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the total carbon is at least 90% renewable according to the ASTM D6866 measurement of the 14 C/ 12 C isotopic ratio of the total carbon.
6 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the total carbon is 100% renewable according to the ASTM D6866 measurement of the 14 C/ 12 C isotopic ratio of the total carbon.
7 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises from about 25 wt % oxygen to about 35 wt % oxygen, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition.
8 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises from about 5 wt % to about 8 wt % hydrogen, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition.
9 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises from about 0.5 wt % to about 1 wt % nitrogen, on a dry basis, according to the ASTM D5373 ultimate analysis of the biomedia composition.
10 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises phosphorus.
11 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises potassium.
12 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the biomedia composition comprises sulfur.
13 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 12 , wherein the biomedia composition contains less than 1 ppm mercury.
14 . The biomedia composition of claim 13 , wherein the biocarbon composition is essentially free of mercury.
15 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 14 , wherein the biomedia composition further comprises one or more additives.
16 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 15 , wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by a volatile-matter content from about 60 wt % to about 70 wt %, according to the ASTM D3175 proximate analysis of the biomedia composition.
17 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 16 , wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by an ash content from about 2 wt % to about 20 wt %, according to the ASTM D3174 proximate analysis of the biomedia composition.
18 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 17 , wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by a moisture content from 10 wt % to about 50 wt %, according to the ASTM D3173 proximate analysis of the biomedia composition.
19 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 18 , wherein the biomedia composition is hydrophilic.
20 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 18 , wherein the biomedia composition is hydrophobic.
21 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 18 , wherein the biomedia composition is amphipathic.
22 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 21 , wherein the biomedia composition is in the form of fine particulates.
23 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 21 , wherein the biomedia composition is in the form of fibrous particles.
24 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 21 , wherein the biomedia composition is in the form of a densified object.
25 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 24 , wherein the biomedia composition has a biomedia pH selected from about 4 to about 8.
26 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 24 , wherein the biomedia composition has a biomedia pH selected from about 5 to about 7.
27 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 26 , wherein the biomedia composition has a cationic exchange capacity selected from about 50 to about 200 meq/100 g.
28 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 26 , wherein the biomedia composition has a cationic exchange capacity selected from about 80 to about 150 meq/100 g.
29 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 26 , wherein the biomedia composition has a cationic exchange capacity selected from about 100 to about 125 meq/100 g.
30 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 29 , wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by a base-acid ratio defined by the following formula:
Base-Acid Ratio=Fe 2 O 3 +CaO+MgO+K 2 O+Na 2 O/SiO 2 +Al 2 O 3 +TiO 2
wherein each of the Fe 2 O 3 , CaO, MgO, K 2 O, Na 2 O, SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , and TiO 2 correspond to weight percentages in the biomedia composition pursuant to ASTM D4326, and wherein the base-acid ratio is selected from about 0.5 to about 10.
31 . The biomedia composition of claim 30 , wherein the base-acid ratio is selected from about 1 to about 10.
32 . The biomedia composition of claim 30 , wherein the base-acid ratio is selected from about 1 to about 5.
33 . The biomedia composition of claim 30 , wherein the base-acid ratio is selected from about 5 to about 10.
34 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 29 , wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by an expanded base-acid ratio defined by the following formula:
Expanded
Base
-
Acid
Ratio
=
Fe
2
O
3
+
CaO
+
MgO
+
K
2
O
+
Na
2
O
+
MnO
+
SrO
+
BaO
SiO
2
+
Al
2
O
3
+
TiO
2
+
P
2
O
5
+
SO
3
wherein each of the FezO 3 , CaO, MgO, K 2 O, Na 2 O, MnO, SrO, BaO, SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , P 2 O 5 , and SO 3 correspond to weight fractions in the biomedia composition pursuant to ASTM D4326, and wherein the expanded base-acid ratio is selected from about 0.25 to about 8.
35 . The biomedia composition of claim 34 , wherein the expanded base-acid ratio is selected from about 0.5 to about 8.
36 . The biomedia composition of claim 34 , wherein the expanded base-acid ratio is selected from about 1 to about 4.
37 . The biomedia composition of claim 34 , wherein the expanded base-acid ratio is selected from about 4 to about 8.
38 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 37 , wherein the biomedia composition is biologically sterile.
39 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 38 , wherein the biomedia composition is biodegradable.
40 . The biomedia composition of any one of claims 1 to 39 , wherein the biomedia composition is compostable.