Claims
- 1. A water retention element comprising a substrate having a superabsorbent polymeric powder stably adhered thereto by an at least partially melted thermoplastic resin; said substrate having a structure creating sufficient free volume to permit said superabsorbent polymeric powder to expand upon contact with a liquid.
- 2. The element of claim 1, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder comprises an anionic polyacrylamide polymer.
- 3. The element of claim 1, wherein said substrate is generally flat.
- 4. The element of claim 1, wherein said substrate is generally cylindrical.
- 5. A water retention element comprising a substrate having openings extending through said substrate; said substrate having a coating stably adhered thereto comprising a superabsorbent polymeric powder and an at least partially cured resin.
- 6. The element of claim 5, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder comprises an anionic polyacrylamide polymer.
- 7. The element of claim 5, wherein said substrate is generally flat.
- 8. The element of claim 5, wherein said substrate is generally cylindrical.
- 9. The element of claim 1, wherein said substrate has openings extended through said substrate.
- 10. A method of improving water utilization efficiency, comprising placing a water retention element having superabsorbent polymeric powder stably adhered thereto at a desired location under the ground, said substrate having a structure creating sufficient free volume to permit said superabsorbent polymeric powder to expand upon contact with water; contacting said superabsorbent polymeric powder with water to cause said water to become absorbed into said superabsorbent polymeric powder, thereby storing said water in said desired location under the ground for future dispersion.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said element comprises a film.
- 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said film comprises a screen.
- 13. The method of claim 10, wherein said element comprises a cylinder.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said cylinder comprises a wrapped film.
- 15. The method of claim 10, wherein placing comprises forming a hole in the ground, placing said element in said hole, and covering said hole, thereby locating said element at a desired location under the ground.
- 16. The method of claim 10, wherein placing comprises pushing said element into the ground, thereby locating said element at a desired location under the ground.
- 17. The method of claim 10, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder comprises an anionic polyacrylamide polymer.
- 18. The method of claim 10, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder has a particle size of about 10 to about 5,000 microns.
- 19. A method of directing plant root growth, comprising placing a root growth directing element having superabsorbent polymeric powder stably adhered thereto at a location under the ground where root growth is desired to be directed, said substrate having a structure creating sufficient free volume to permit said superabsorbent polymeric powder to expand upon contact with water; contacting said superabsorbent polymeric powder with water to cause said water to become absorbed into said superabsorbent polymeric powder, thereby storing said water in said desired location under the ground to cause plant roots to grow toward said desired location.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said element comprises a film.
- 21. The method of claim 19, wherein said film comprises a screen.
- 22. The method of claim 19, wherein said element comprises a cylinder.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said cylinder comprises a wrapped film.
- 24. The method of claim 19, wherein placing comprises forming a hole in the ground, placing said element in said hole, and covering said hole, thereby locating said element at a desired location under the ground.
- 25. The method of claim 19, wherein placing comprises pushing said element into the ground, thereby locating said element at a desired location under the ground.
- 26. The method of claim 19, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder comprises an anionic polyacrylamide polymer.
- 27. The method of claim 19, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder has a particle size of about 10 microns to about 5,000 microns.
- 28. A method of reducing soil erosion, comprising placing an erosion barrier element having superabsorbent polymeric powder stably adhered thereto at a desired location under the ground, said substrate having a structure creating sufficient free volume to permit said superabsorbent polymeric powder to expand upon contact with water; contacting said superabsorbent polymeric powder with water to cause said water to become absorbed into said superabsorbent polymeric powder, thereby storing said water in said desired location under the ground and thereby reducing soil erosion.
- 29. The method of claim 28, wherein said element comprises a film.
- 30. The method of claim 28, wherein said film comprises a screen.
- 31. The method of claim 28, wherein said element comprises a cylinder.
- 32. The method of claim 30, wherein said cylinder comprises a wrapped film.
- 33. The method of claim 28, wherein placing comprises forming a hole in the ground, placing said element in said hole, and covering said hole, thereby locating said element at a desired location under the ground.
- 34. The method of claim 28, wherein placing comprises pushing said element into the ground, thereby locating said element at a desired location under the ground.
- 35. The method of claim 28, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder comprises an anionic polyacrylamide polymer.
- 36. The method of claim 28, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder has a particle size of about 10 microns to about 100 microns.
- 37. A method for cleaning up liquids disposed in an area on a surface comprising placing a clean-up element having an absorbent powder stably adhered thereto in such area to absorb the liquid and then removing the element from the area to result in the removal of at least a portion of the liquid.
- 38. The method of claim 37, wherein said absorbent powder comprises superabsorbent polymeric powder and said liquid comprises water.
- 39. The method of claim 37, wherein said absorbent powder comprises a petroleum absorbent polymeric powder and said liquid comprises petroleum.
- 40. The method of claim 37, wherein said element is in the form of a coil and is uncoiled, continuously passed through said area, and recoiled.
- 41. The method of claim 39, wherein said area is on a water surface.
- 42. The method of claim 39, wherein said area is on a land surface.
- 43. The method of claim 37, wherein said superabsorbent polymeric powder has a particle size of about 10 microns to about 100 microns.
- 44. A process for stably adhering a superabsorbent polymeric powder onto a thermoplastic resinous substrate comprising:
(a) Providing a thin film of a thermoplastic resin; (b) Applying a superabsorbent polymeric powder onto the surface of said film; and (c) Heating said film and superabsorbent polymeric powder to cause said film to melt and said superabsorbent polymeric powder to become stably adhered to said film.
- 45. The process of claim 44, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film is a member selected from the group consisting of vinyls, polyolefins, nylons, polyesters, and copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, and admixtures thereof.
- 46. The process of claim 45, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol.
- 47. A process for stably adhering a superabsorbent polymeric powder onto a thermoplastic resinous substrate comprising:
(a) Providing a thin film of a thermoplastic resin; (b) Applying a superabsorbent polymeric powder onto the surface of said film; and (c) Heating said film and superabsorbent polymeric powder to cause said film to soften and said superabsorbent polymeric powder to become stably adhered to said film.
- 48. The process of claim 47, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film is a member selected from the group consisting of vinyls, polyolefins, nylons, polyesters, and copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, and admixtures thereof.
- 49. The process of claim 48, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol.
- 50. The process of claim 47, further comprising applying pressure to said film and applied superabsorbent polymeric powder to further enhance adhesion.
- 51. The process of claim 50, wherein said pressure is applied by a roll.
- 52. A process for stably adhering a superabsorbent polymeric powder onto a thermoplastic resinous substrate comprising:
a) Providing a thin film of a thermoplastic resin; b) Heating said superabsorbent polymeric powder; and c) Applying said heated powder to said film to cause melting of said film at a point of contact between said powder and said film, thereby stably adhering said powder to said film.
- 53. The process of claim 52, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film is a member selected from the group consisting of vinyls, polyolefins, nylons, polyesters, and copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, and admixtures thereof.
- 54. The process of claim 53, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol.
- 55. A process for stably adhering a superabsorbent polymeric powder onto a thermoplastic resinous substrate comprising:
a) Providing a thin film of a thermoplastic resin; b) Heating said superabsorbent polymeric powder; and c) Applying said heated powder to said film to cause softening of said film at a point of contact between said powder and said film, thereby stably adhering said powder to said film.
- 56. The process of claim 55, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film is a member selected from the group consisting of vinyls, polyolefins, nylons, polyesters, and copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, and admixtures thereof.
- 57. The process of claim 56, wherein said thermoplastic resinous film comprises a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol.
- 58. The process of claim 55, further comprising applying pressure to said film and applied superabsorbent polymeric powder to further enhance adhesion.
- 59. The process of claim 58, wherein said pressure is applied by a roll.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/357,907 filed Feb. 4, 2003, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/982,342 filed Oct. 18, 2001. This patent application, through its parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/982,342, claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) from provisional application Serial No. 60/242,926 filed Oct. 25, 2000 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60242926 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10357907 |
Feb 2003 |
US |
Child |
10737474 |
Dec 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09982342 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Child |
10357907 |
Feb 2003 |
US |