GB2176493A - Composition for restoring the colour of grass - Google Patents

Abstract

A composition for the restoration of the colour of scorched grass which simulates the natural grass chloroplasts and comprises a colour element attached to a finely divided support with a particle size less than 100 mu m which is substantially insoluble in water and an adhesive. This composition which is suitably obtained by blending appropriate dyes with starch and glycerol and then hydrothermally treating prior to pasting with water may be applied to scorched grass by spraying or watering after appropriate dilution.

Description

SPECIFICATION Composition for restoring the colour of grass This invention concerns the cosmetic treatment of discoloured areas in lawns or other stretches of grass.

Lawns created for sporting, recreational or decorative purposes and containing various varieties of grasses require attention to maintain their appearance. A problem frequently encountered during the summer months is scorching which leaves unsightly brown patches in an otherwise green lawn.

The natural green colour of grass is provided bya group of pigments known collectively as chlorophyll and contained in packages called chloroplastswhich are about 5 m across. The object of the present invention is to provide a means of colouring scorched patches of grass using pigmented packages which simulate the natural chloroplasts and which areapplied to the grass by spraying or other means restoring the overall appearance ofthe lawn.

The present invention provides a composition for the restoration ofthe colour of grass comprising a colour element, which is a dye or pigment our a mixture of dyes or pigments selected to match the shade of grass chloroplasts, attached to a finely divided support, with a particle size less than 100 Fm, which is substantially insoluble in wateratambienttemperatures and an adhesive.

The colour element may comprise between 5 and 50% of the total weight of the composition. The choice of dye or pigment or r,iixturns of dyes or pig menus to give the desired shade correspondingto that ofthe natural chloroplasts is extensive. The mode ofattachmentto the support may be chemical when the colour element is applied by dyeing, or physical when the colour element is attached by grinding the dye or pigmentwith thesupport,or by compounding with the support.

The support may be grains of starch or cellulose or other bio-degradable polymerwhich is substantially insoluble in water at ambient temperatures such as calcium alginate. Alternatively where biodegradability is not required the support may be powdered polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene,ora powdered inorganic compound such as chalk, talc, or diatom ite. Preferably the particle size of the support is between 5 and, 50 lim and should not be greaterthan 100 Thm otherwise settlementfrom suspension in waterwill be too rapid.

The adhesive may be carboxymethylcellulose or its sodium salt or otherwatersoluble or emulsified adhesive such as hydrolysed starch or amylose. Once the composition is applied to grass the adhesive should not redissolve in water rapidly, thus giving protection against summer showers. It should also provide sufficient adhesion between the coloured package and the blade of grass to prevent mark-off onto shoes or clothing if the grass is to be used for recreational purposes.

The composition may be mixed with fertilisers to encourage new growth such as sulphate of ammonia, potassium sulphate and superphosphate, and a moss inhibitorsuch as calcined sulphate of iron to discourage moss growth while fresh grass grows.

During the course of work on the present invention I found that a particularly useful embodiment ofthe composition as defined in accordance with the invention could be prepared by blending or grinding a mixture of dyes with starch, mixing with glycerol, treating with superheated steam in an autoclave at 1 for 30 minutes then forming into a paste with water. During the steam treatment the dye becomes chemically bonded to the sta rch, while the sta rch is largely reduced to colloidal dimensions. The use of glycerol prevents the starch caking during this treatment. After paste formation with water the amylose component ofthe starch which comprises up to 20% ofthestarch and issubstantiallysolubleinwateracts as an adhesive for the dyed amylopectin component of the starch which is insoluble.The paste is easy to make up in waterfor application and because it is largely of colloidal dimensions the dyed amylopectin remains in suspension for several hours after makeup.

Where the composition contains a bio-degradable support it may be found desirableto include afungi- cide for long term storage.

The composition is applied as an aqueous suspension by spraying or watering onto the affected area of grass.

The invention will be further apparent from the following examples.

Example 1 20starch along with 1 g Monastrel Green Go,0.35 g Waxoline Green G and 0.25 g Monolite Yellow 1OGE GNS were ground together using a mortar and pestle.

This was added to 500 ml water and shaken vigorously. 0.12 g carboxymethylcellulose (Methocel) was added and the composition again shaken vigorously, then allowed to stand for 10to 15 minutes with occasional shaking.

The composition was sprayed onto an unsightly patch of yellow grass in a lawn using a hand operated garden spray. After thins application the discoloured patch was undectable.

Example 2 6 g starch was ground with 0.3 g Monastrel Green GN (ComponentA). Afurther 6 g starch was ground with 0.15 g Waxoline Green G (Component B). A further6 g starch was ground with 0.3 g Monolite Yellow 1 OGE GNS (Component C). 5 g of Component Awere mixed with 2.5 g of Component B and 7.5 g Component C and this was added to 400 ml water with vigorous shaking. 0.1 g of sodium carboxymethylcellulose was added and the suspension shaken again.

After standing for 15 minutes the composition was sprayed onto a patch of dead grass revitalising its appearance. Example3 20 g starch were dyed in 200 ml cold water using 1.2 g Dylon Tartan Green,with 12 g sodium chloride and 3.2 g sodium carbonate for 1 hour. The dyed starch was filtered, dried and ground to a fine powder with 0.12 g carboxymethylcellulose.

This was shaken with 500 ml water and afterstand- ing for 15 minutes the composition was sprayed on yellowed grass restoring the colour.

Example 4 Thefurther 20 g of starch was dyed as in Example3.

After filtering the starch was dried by replacing residual waterwith methanol. It was unnecessary to grind the dyed starch which was mixed with 0.12 g of carboxymethylcellulose.

This was shaken with 500 ml water containing 4 g ammonium sulphate, and 5 g each ofsuperphosphate, potassium sulphate and calcinedferrous sulphate and after standing for 20 minutes was applied to a one square metre area of scorched grass restoring its colour.

Example 5 200 g of powdered cellulose was ground with 3 g Monastrel Green GN, 0.9 gWaxoline Green G, 3.75g Monolite Yellow 1OGE GNS, 0.5 g Procion Green H 4G, 0.8 g Dylon Scarlet and 5 g soluble (hydrolysed) starch to act as adhesive.

This was made up in 2.5 litres ofwaterfor appl ica- tion.

Example 6 Thefollowingwere blended together:- 500 g starch ground with 30 g Monastrel Green GN 250 g starch ground with 8.75 g Waxoline Green G 750 g starch ground with 37.5 g Monolite Yellow 10GEGNS 75 g starch ground with 4.5 g Procion Green H 4G 195 g starch ground with 7.8 g Dylon Mandarin 50 g sodium carboxymethylcellulose was suspended in 1.5 litres of methyl alcohol while stirring and 200 ml water was added. This was used to form a paste with the above five components, which was then sieved and dried before being ground to a powder. The adhesive now formed a coating around the other constituents ofthe composition.

When mixed witch 25 litres of waterthis was adequ- ateforthe restoration of 50 square metres of scorched grass.

Example 7 20 g starch were milled for 15 minutes with 6.78 g Monastrel Green GN, 1.98 g Waxoline Green G, 8.48 g MonoliteYellow 10GE GNS, 1.02 g Procion Green H 4G, 1.76 g Dylon Scarlet. This was mixed with 15 ml glycerol and treated with superheated steam at 120"C in an autoclave for 30 minutes. On removal from the autoclave 60 ml water was added and the composition was pasted.

This was made up in 7.5 litres ofwaterforapplica- tion.

Claims (12)

1. A composition forthe restoration ofthe colour of grass comprising a colourelement,which is a dye or pigment or a mixture of dyes or pigments selected to match the shade of grasps chloroplasts, attached to a finely divided supportwith a particle size less than 100 pLm which is substantially insoluble in water at ambienttemperatures and an adhesive.

2. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the colour element comprises between 5 and 50% of the weight of the composition.

3. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the support element is a finely divided organic polymer.

4. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the support element is starch, cellulose, calcium alginate, polyethylene, polypropylene or mixtures thereof.

5. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the support element is a finely divided inorganic compound and consists of chalk, talc or diatomite or mixtures thereof.

6. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the support has a particle size between 5 and 50,am.

7. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the adhesive is carboxymethylcellulose or its sodium salt, hydrolysed starch, amylose or mixtures thereof.

8. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 prepared by blending a dye or mixture of dyes selected to match the shade of natural chloroplasts with starch, adding glyceral, treating with superheated steam and forming into a paste with water.

9. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 8 which has been treated with superheated steam at 1 200C.

10. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 8which has been treated with superheated steam for 30 minutes.

11. Acomposition as claimed in Claims 1 to 10 which is mixed with a lawn fertiliser.

12. A composition substantially as described herein with reference to any of the Examples.