Compostable Turf Decomposition Inhibitor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The disposal of worn hybrid and artificial turfs is challenging due to their non-biodegradable synthetic materials, leading to increased waste management costs and environmental concerns, with biodegradable alternatives experiencing unpredictable degradation rates affecting performance and disposal efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a decomposition inhibitor in the turf that loses its functionality over time, allowing for controlled decomposition through the addition of a decomposition booster, such as acidic solutions or soil bacteria, to ensure predictable and efficient composting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If biodegradable materials are used for hybrid turf and artificial turf, then the turf becomes compostable and reduces waste management costs, but the decomposition rate becomes unpredictable affecting performance and life expectancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition parameters of the biodegradable materials. Specifically, it controls the ratio of starch to polylactic acid (PLA) and adjusts molecular weight parameters to achieve a target decomposition time range of 6-18 months. This systematic parameter optimization ensures predictable decomposition rates while maintaining compostability and reducing waste management costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If the turf is made fully biodegradable, then disposal becomes easier and more environmentally friendly, but the turf may deteriorate and decay during its service life before replacement is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by precisely controlling material parameters including the starch-PLA ratio and molecular weight to achieve decomposition within a specific time window (6-18 months). This ensures the turf remains stable throughout its intended service life while becoming compostable at the end of its lifecycle, balancing disposal ease with service duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining starch and polylactic acid (PLA) in specific ratios. This composite approach leverages the biodegradability of both components while their interaction creates a material system with controlled decomposition kinetics, ensuring the turf maintains structural integrity during service life but decomposes efficiently afterward.
3Productivity
If decomposition is accelerated to reduce waste space and costs, then composting efficiency improves, but the turf may lose playing performance before the end of its useful life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes decomposition parameters by controlling the starch-PLA ratio and molecular weight to achieve a balanced decomposition rate. This ensures the turf maintains its playing performance throughout the intended service life (6-18 months) while becoming compostable at the end of its lifecycle, avoiding premature deterioration while ensuring efficient end-of-life decomposition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables robust control over the decomposition process, ensuring the turf remains stable until the end of its service life and then decomposes rapidly, reducing waste management costs and environmental impact while maintaining performance.
Implementation Method 1
biodegradation is a process that depends on a plurality of environmental factors... the decomposition inhibitor in the turf is adapted to lose its decomposition-inhibiting functionality or leave the turf until a defined period of time has elapsed
Implementation Method 2
the adding of the decomposition booster, if any, comprises mixing the decomposition booster with the turf pieces or applying the decomposition booster on the turf before it is divided
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a completely or partially compostable turf (202, 300) the turf being a completely or partially compostable artificial turf or a hybrid turf (202) comprising a completely or partially compostable hybrid turf support, the turf comprising a decomposition inhibitor, the decomposition inhibitor in the turf being adapted to lose its functionality or leave the turf until a defined period of time has elapsed.