Saffron
Deceased
Image Source: Here
Intent: To provide a method of utilizing super absorbent polymers for drought and arid areas for farmlands.
Development Thread: N/A
Manufacturer: PharmaTech | Arceneau Trade Company | Mara TibX & Fuels
Model: SAP - 1
Affiliation: ATC Customers
Modularity: Yes | Can be adapted for several different environments and soil conditions
Production: Mass-Produced.
Material: Biodegradable super absorbent polymer
Strengths:
- Capable of storing water and nutrients and then releasing them in drought conditions.
- Nontoxic, nonpolluting, biodegradable matter.
- Biodegradable matter has a lifespan of five years.
Description:
PharmaTech in conjunction with the new Terraforming capabilities of both companies has created a valuable agent to aid in the construction of their biodomes. There are hundreds of worlds in the galaxy that suffer through immense drought or low fertilization conditions. Research went in to find a sustainable method of saving irrigation and improve fertilizer efficiency.
The result was the creation of an organic, biodegradable superabsorbent polymer created out of fruit skins. This created a soil conditioner pellet that can absorb and retain 1,000 times more water than their size and weight.
These pellets consist of a set of polymeric chains that are parallel to each other and regularly linked to each other by cross-linking agents, thus forming a network. When water comes into contact with one of these chains, it is drawn into the molecule by osmosis. Water rapidly migrates into the interior of the polymer network where it is stored. As the soil dries out, the polymer releases up to 95% of the absorbed water into the soil.
This material can store water and nutrients and release them in light soils, enabling plants to produce grain and increase their biomass under limited irrigation water and nutrient conditions for up to five years. Studies have shown that they also improve seed germination rates and root growth while decreasing drought or transplanting stresses in plants. Furthermore, this superabsorbent material can reduce soil contamination by preventing pollutants from passing through the soil and thereby improving the quality of drainage water.
Primary Source:
