Wright, H.C., Zhu, J., Cameron, D.D. orcid.org/0000-0002-5439-6544 et al. (1 more author) (2021) Flexible polyurethane foam with sodium bentonite : improving the properties of foams for use as a synthetic growing media. In: Giuffrida, F., Zaccheo, P. and Cattivello, C., (eds.) Acta Horticulturae. III International Symposium on Growing Media, Composting and Substrate Analysis, 24 Jun 2019, Milan, Italy. International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) , pp. 47-54. ISBN 9789462613034
Abstract
Common substrates used in soilless cultivation of vegetables have been shown to have several drawbacks including variability of organic substrates and disposal of some inorganic substrates. Polyurethane foams (PUF) meet several of the requirements to be a synthetic growing medium. However commercial formulations are not optimised for hydroponics and the addition of a functional filler could improve these properties. Sodium bentonite was added to foam formulations due to its use as a soil amendment which improves the water holding and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soils. Sodium bentonite was added at loadings varying between 0-20 PPHP. The addition of bentonite increased PUF density from 41.1 to 48 kg m‑3, increased water holding content from 464 to 767 g dm‑3, increased CEC from 0 to 4.65 cmolc kg‑1 and increased the number of open cells visible in SEM images. The water drop penetration time decreased from 132 min to 78 min and the compression force deflection decreased from 10.6 to 6.2 kPa. These physical and chemical changes improved tomato variety (Sub arctic plenty) vegetative growth, dry shoot mass increasing from 7.2 to 12.9 g at a loading of 10 PPHP sodium bentonite.
Metadata
Item Type: | Proceedings Paper |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Editors: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 ISHS. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Acta Horticulturae. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Polyurethane foam; synthetic media; bentonite; hydroponics |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Chemistry (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number The British Council 279345617 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/I016821/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 24 Aug 2021 10:49 |
Last Modified: | 18 Mar 2022 01:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.17660/actahortic.2021.1305.7 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:177288 |