Straw mats for soil erosion control

Claim 1

A COHERENT AIR AND MOISTURE PERMEABLE STRAW MAT FOR COVERING SOIL TO PREVENT WIND AND RAIN EROSION THEREOF, SAID MAT COMPRISING STRAW STALKS DISTRIBUTED RANDOMLY INTO A LAYER WITH THE STALKS ADHERED TOGETHER AT THEIR POINT OF CONTACT WITH EACH OTER WITH AT LEAST 75 POUNDS PER TON OF STRAW OF A WATER RESISTANT ADHESIVE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF (1) AN INTERPOLYMER OF LESS THAN 60 WEIGHT PERCENT OF AN ALKENYL AROMATIC MONOMER, WHEREIN AN ALKENYL GROUP IS ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO AN AROMATIC NUCLES, AT LEAST 40 WEIGHT PERCENT OF AN OPEN CHAIN CONJUGATED DIOLEFIN HAVING FROM 4 TO ABOUT 9 CARBON ATOMS, AND AN UNSATURATED CARBOXYLIC ACID OR ANHYDRIDE, (2) FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO 2.5 WEIGHT PERCENT BASED ON POLYMER SOLIDS OF A WATER SOLUBLE CELLULOSE ETHER AND (3) FROM AOUT 0.7 TO 2.5 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANO SULFONATE HAVING AT LEAST ONE SULFONATE GROUP ATTACHED TO AN AROMATIC RING AND REPRESENTED BY THE FORMULA:

Claim 9

A method for making a wind and rain resistant straw mat comprising the blending of straw with at least 75 pounds per ton of straw of a water resistant adhesive, consisting essentially of (1) an interpolymer of less than 60 weight percent of an alkenyl aromatic monomer wherein an alkenyl group is attached directly to an aromatic nucleus, at least 40 weight percent of an open chain conjugated diolefin having from 4 to about 9 carbon atoms, and an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride (2) from about 0.5 to 2.5 weight percent based on polymer solids of a water soluble cellulose ether and (3) from about 0.70 to 2.5 weight percent of a water-soluble organo sulfonate having at least one sulfonate group attached to an aromatic ring and represented by the formula: R (Ar - SO3) M wherein R is an alkyl chain having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl chain having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms and combinations of said chains with ethoxy chains, phenyl, phenoxy, and alkyl or alkoxy substituted phenyl or phenoxy: Ar is phenyl or naphthyl and M is an alkali metal or ammonia, distributing the coated straw randomly into a layer, and drying the adhesive.

Claim 10

A method for making a wind and rain resistant straw mat comprising the blending of straw with at least 75 pounds per ton of straw of a water resistant adhesive, consisting essentially of (1) an interpolymer of less than 60 weight percent of an alkenyl aromatic monomer wherein an alkenyl group is attached directly to an aromatic nucleus, at least 40 weight percent of an open chain conjugated diolefin having from 4 to about 9 carbon atoms, and an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride (2) from about 0.5 to 2.5 weight percent based on polymer solids of a water soluble cellulose ether and (3) from about 0.70 to 2.5 weight percent of a water-soluble organo sulfonate having at least one sulfonate group attached to an aromatic ring and represented by the formula: R (Ar - SO3) M wherein R is an alkyl chain having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl chain having from about 8 to 20 carbon atoms and combinations of said chains with ethoxy chains, phenyl, phenoxy, and alkyl or alkoxy substituted phenyl or phenoxy: Ar is phenyl or naphthyl and M is an alkali metal or ammonia, distributing the coated straw randomly into a layer, and drying the adhesive.