JPS60110214A - Artificial bog moss - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A1 Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to artificial sphagnum moss, and more particularly to artificial sphagnum moss composed of fibers.

B. Conventional technology and its problems The demand for natural sphagnum moss, which is used for horticultural purposes such as growing orchids and ornamental plants, has been increasing recently.9 Domestic production alone cannot keep up with the demand, and the price has soared. The current situation is that there is a strong demand from various quarters for an increase in the supply amount. However, since it is a naturally occurring product, there is little hope that the supply will increase in the future.

Under these circumstances, various types of artificial sphagnum moss have recently been announced.

Although it has become commercially available, there is nothing comparable to natural sphagnum moss that has a well-balanced property of natural sphagnum moss, such as excellent bulkiness, water absorption performance, water retention performance, and breathability.
The current situation is that it has not yet been achieved.

The basic performance required for horticultural sphagnum moss is excellent water absorption and
It is extremely important to have a structure that does not inhibit the normal growth and rooting of plants, as well as water retention performance and air permeability.

However, it cannot be said that conventional artificial sphagnum moss satisfies all of these required performances in a well-balanced manner; for example, it is made by simply cutting a film formed from a water-absorbing polymer into thin slits, or by using single fibers that have water-absorbing properties. A sheet-like non-woven fabric made by heat-sealing them to each other and cut into slits (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 131518/1982), and a porous material made of foamed water-absorbing polymer and containing countless fine air bubbles. Artificial sphagnum moss is commonly known as artificial sphagnum moss made of short fibers with relatively thick denier and having fine pores on the surface layer (Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-40243). Since the item has a simple structure, the curl height is 12L.

It has excessive air permeability, and its water absorption and water retention properties, which are essential for sphagnum moss, are far inferior to natural sphagnum moss. As with the IJ knot film, the slit-like material of the fused nonwoven fabric has too high bulk and air permeability, and is significantly inferior in terms of water absorption and water retention performance, and the constituent fibers are mutually fused. Since the cloth is fixed, there is no chance that it will get in between the fibers.
(The fine roots of the plant are constricted by the constituent fibers, inhibiting the normal growth of the roots, and when repotting the plant, the roots do not easily separate from the sphagnum moss, resulting in severe damage to the roots, which is a fatal drawback.) In addition, in the case of artificial sphagnum moss, which is similar to porous foam materials, it has relatively good properties such as high elasticity, water absorption, and water retention, but the fine roots of plants that encounter partially existing closed cells are unable to grow. It has the disadvantage that it cannot grow and dies, and it is inconvenient to handle because it does not have the mutual entanglement required for sphagnum moss.The problem with artificial sphagnum moss made of short fibers with microscopic voids on their surface is Has water absorption performance.

It is not possible to sufficiently secure and absorb the amount of water required for sphagnum moss with just the total volume of the microscopic spaces present on the fiber surface in r and li.

As a result of a detailed study of the structure of natural sphagnum moss, the present inventors found that there are countless huge bag-shaped water storage cells in the parts corresponding to the leaves, and the cells absorb a large amount of water. It has a special structure that lasts for a long time, and the trunk and branches that support the leaves are relatively thick and rigid, giving it excellent bulk and breathability that cannot be obtained from sphagnum moss leaves alone. I have a role to play. By the formation of such a two-component structure.

For the first time, it was found that it satisfies all of the conflicting performances required of sphagnum moss.

All currently known artificial sphagnum moss has a single-component structure, and such a structure cannot satisfy all the performance requirements for sphagnum moss in a well-balanced manner.

C0 From a viewpoint beyond the purpose of the present invention, we have created a two-component 411q structure that has water absorption and water retention components corresponding to the water storage cells of natural sphagnum moss, and bulk height and air permeability imparting components corresponding to the trunk and branches. It was found that artificial sphagnum moss with well-balanced properties as sphagnum moss could be obtained.

The present invention was achieved by confirming this through experiments.

That is, one object of the present invention is to provide an artificial sphagnum moss that satisfies the properties required of sphagnum moss in a well-balanced manner, does not inhibit plant growth, and is easy to handle.

D1 Structure of the present invention The object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.

31) Artificial sphagnum moss consisting of a fiber aggregate and a granular entangled body made of short fibers mixed with the fiber aggregate.

(2) The fiber aggregate has a single yarn denier of 5 denier or more, 8
Artificial sphagnum moss made of finite fibers of 0 denier or less.

(3) Artificial sphagnum moss in which the granular entangled short fibers consist of short fibers with a single filament denier of 5 deniers or less.

(4) Short edge IA (artificial sphagnum moss in which the particle size of the granular entangled bodies made by D is 15 mm or less).

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a model diagram for explaining the artificial sphagnum moss according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the short edge R11 [granular entangled body]. In the figure, 1 is a granular entangled body that constitutes the water-absorbing and water-retaining component.
This fiber aggregate is composed of relatively fine denier short fibers 6, and is formed by intertwining each of these short fibers. It has countless microscopic spaces. Due to this structure, water is sucked into the microscopic spaces by capillary action, and the water in the fiber aggregate becomes like a single water droplet. Therefore, inhaled moisture is retained for a relatively long period of time.

It has properties suitable for sphagnum moss.

Short fibers 3 constituting the granular entangled body include 6 natural fibers, 1 artificial fiber 1
Synthetic fibers, water-absorbing fibers M1, and fibers with high shrinkage caused by heat or fibers that develop shrinkage can be used, but are they corrosion resistant (synthetic fibers are preferred? Of course, these fibers can be used alone It is also possible to use them in combination.Furthermore, when short f& fibers having hydrophilic or water absorbing properties are used as the short edge &(II 3), further water absorption and water retention effects can be expected.

Regarding the thickness of the short fibers used here, the thinner the fibers are, the more microscopic spaces will be formed and the better the holes will be.If the short fibers are thicker, the spaces formed will be coarser.
The fruit is not produced satisfactorily, and the water absorption and water retention performance decreases. Therefore, the appropriate thickness of the short fibers is 5 deniers or less, preferably 6 deniers or less. There is a constant 0 relationship between the thickness of the short fibers used here and the average particle diameter of the granular entangled bodies formed thereby, and if the thickness of the short fibers is d denier, then The average particle diameter DmI+1 of the granular entangled bodies thus formed has the following relationship: 1)=3xd, therefore, when d force is 5 deniers or less.

The average particle size is 15 nun or less.

In order to form a large number of crimps to be imparted to the short fibers and to form fine spaces, the paper strength is preferably 151 or higher. It is appropriate that the number of contractions is 15 peaks/25 mm or more.

When tV is formed on the short edge like this, 1 [, in the form of small clumps.

Normal growth of plant roots f: 1ffi In order not to harm the fibers, strong yielding methods such as thermal attachment between the fibers and 4 concubinage due to a certain 1V1t30 sorrow Qi 1j should be avoided. By forming this, the constituent single fiber forces S can move relatively freely! There is a need to have four eyebrows.

The artificial sphagnum moss according to the present invention is made by combining the water-absorbing and water-retaining component 1 consisting of entangled bodies in the form of grains with relatively thick and rigid fibers K ( By mixing E with the aggregate 4 and intertwining and connecting them, a unified structure is achieved as sphagnum moss, and the required bulk straightness 1 is achieved.
It provides breathability.

Here, the finite length fibers constituting the fiber assembly 4 include various natural fibers, 9 man-made fibers, and 1 synthetic fiber.

It consists of an entangled body 1 and a finite length fiber 4 using water-absorbing fibers or highly shrinkable or shrinkable fibers that develop upon heating, either alone or in combination in the form of short fibers or finite length fibers. When forming an integral structure mainly consisting of knitted pieces, it is necessary to intertwine the nine-grain entangled body 1 and the finite fibers 4, and bonding with adhesive or heat fusion is necessary. is unfavorable for plant growth because it fixes the fibers and inhibits the free movement of single fibers.

An integral structure is formed by intertwining the interconnected fibers, but to further improve the bulk properties, heat treatment using wet heat or dry heat is also possible. The interconnected fibers may be tied together using knitting thread or sewing thread, or the intertwining of the 9 interconnected fibers may be strengthened using pricking needles, or this integral structure may be formed into a shape of 30T/ It is also possible to add twists of M or less.

In the artificial sphagnum moss according to the present invention, the proportion of the small aggregate fiber aggregate to the total weight is 5% or more in order to provide a good balance of bulk properties, water absorption and water retention properties, and breathability, which are desirable for sphagnum moss. 90% or less, preferably 1, 10 or more, 8
0% or less is an appropriate range, and if it is below the 5th section, the bulk is high.

Air permeability becomes excessive, water absorption and water retention performance are not satisfied, and frequent oiling and watering is required. If it exceeds 90%, water absorption
This is undesirable because water retention becomes excessive, air permeability is insufficient, and root rot occurs.

E1 Effects of the present invention As described above, 1 The artificial sphagnum moss composition according to the present invention has an integrated structure of two components: small aggregated fiber aggregates as a water absorbing/water retaining component, and fibers connecting these as a bulkiness maintaining component. It is an artificial sphagnum moss, and with such a structure, the water absorption and water retention ability necessary for sphagnum moss is achieved by the small aggregated fiber aggregate, and the air permeability is achieved by the interconnected fibers. Furthermore, since the constituent single fibers are bonded by entanglement, the single fibers can move relatively freely and do not inhibit root growth, making it an ideal artificial sphagnum moss. Furthermore, in order to further increase the added value of sphagnum moss, 9 suitable antibacterial agents,
Insect repellent, water absorbing agent 4: By adding insect repellent and water absorbing agent 4, it is possible to prevent the propagation of pests and bacteria or to further improve the water absorbing performance.

The two-component integrated structure according to the present invention can be made into any form that is easy to use as sphagnum moss, such as a mat shape, a rod shape, a ribbon shape by slits, or a small lump shape by shredding. Ideal for cultivating flower petals such as ¥1 or ornamental plants.

The present invention will be specifically described below based on Examples.

The bulkiness described here is expressed as the fk product f cm'' per 1 g of sphagnum moss under a load of 11 g/♂, and the water absorption capacity - and Q''2 water absorption relative to the absolute dry weight of sphagnum moss. The amount is expressed as a magnification of 2. The water release rate is 5 after water absorption.
The reduced moisture content after being left for days/ζ is expressed as a ratio to the initial moisture content. In addition, the solid phase ratio, liquid phase *, and gas phase ratio are the volume ratios occupied by sphagnum moss, moisture 9, and "genki" to the total volume after water and υf have absorbed water. , liquid phase ratio is 55-65%, ☆;
The appropriate phase ratio is 35 to 45%.

Example 1 Polyester staple fibers with a thickness of 08 denier and a length of 30 mm were entangled to form a granular entangled body with an average diameter of 2.4 mm.
This is water absorption/water retention component A, and on the other hand, polyester short edge & flj with a thickness of 15 denier and a fiber length of 70 mm is mixed with Kaza high component I3 at a weight ratio of 50 and 179, and the weight ratio is 100 by applying it to a card machine. Create a web of g/m', this C('l'l] 20 mm, length 10
The artificial sphagnum moss according to the present invention was obtained by cutting it into ribbons of 0 mm.

On the other hand, A component 1000I), B component 100. Table 1 shows the results of a comparative evaluation of sphagnum performance by adding natural sphagnum moss to six types of sphagnum moss.

Table 1 If the A component is 100%, the water absorption and water retention properties are excessive.

The gas phase ratio is extremely low (with A component alone, a root 1ρS error occurs; with 100% B component, the gas phase ratio is 1°1S<).

It has a low liquid phase ratio and water absorption capacity, and requires frequent rinsing, making it unsuitable as sphagnum moss. In contrast, the product of the present invention had good water absorption capacity, liquid phase ratio, and gas phase ratio.

Example 2 Cotton tRM was intertwined to create a granular entangled body with an average diameter of 4 sam, and this was used as component A. On the other hand, polyester staple fibers with a thickness of 6 denier and a fiber length of 70 + RO, and polyester staple fibers with a thickness of 12 denier, 70 parts of short polyester fibers with a fiber length of 76 mm are blended to form the B component, and the A component point and the B component part are 30:7.
After mixing at a ratio of 0.0, a sliver of A O (mm/m) was spun using a card 4a. From this sliver, a sliver of 2 g/m" e was twisted daily and 10 times/m was spun using card 4a.
A thread was prepared and cut into pieces with a length of about 7c+n to obtain artificial water according to the present invention.

On the other hand, roving was made using 100% component B under the same conditions and cut into approximately 7 cm pieces.9. Table 2 shows the results of a comparative evaluation of six types including natural sphagnum moss.

Table 2 The 100% B component product has a low liquid phase ratio and water absorption capacity.

The product of the present invention was not suitable as sphagnum moss, and similarly to natural sphagnum moss, it exhibited appropriate vapor phase ratio and liquid phase ratio, and also had an excellent water absorption capacity.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a model diagram for explaining the artificial sphagnum moss according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a granular entangled body made of short fibers. Patent applicant: Toshi Co., Ltd. Figures 1 and 2

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) Artificial sphagnum moss consisting of a fiber aggregate and a granular entangled body made of short fibers mixed with the fiber aggregate. (2) The fiber aggregate has a single yarn denier of 5 denier or more, 8
The artificial sphagnum moss according to claim 1, comprising finite long fibers of 0 denier or less. (3) The artificial sphagnum moss according to claim 1, wherein the granular entangled short fibers consist of short fibers with a single filament denier of 5 deniers or less. (4) The artificial sphagnum moss according to claim 1, 2, or 6, wherein the particle size of the granular entangled bodies made of short fibers is 15 mm or less.