Incorporation of wetting agent with granular fertilizers for enhancing fertilizer dispersion and plant uptake
Granular fertilizers for efficient plant uptake of nutrients and delayed release of fertilizer compounds. A composition includes a granular fertilizer and a wetting agent configured to reduce a surface tension of water. The composition optionally additionally includes an ion exchange nanoparticle, wherein the ion exchange nanoparticle comprises a structural particle comprising an ion exchange site and an ion, wherein the ion is attracted to the structural particle at the ion exchange site.
1 . A composition comprising:
a granular fertilizer; and
a coating disposed around the granular fertilizer, wherein the coating comprises:
a first polymer that is water soluble;
a second polymer comprising a copolymer; and
a wetting agent configured to reduce a surface tension of water; and
an ion exchange nanoparticle that comprises:
a structural particle comprising an ion exchange site; and
an ion, wherein the ion is attracted to the structural particle at the ion exchange site;
wherein a coating solution comprising each of the first polymer, the second polymer, and the wetting agent is mixed with the granular fertilizer.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the coating is disposed around a plurality of granules of the granular fertilizer.
3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the granular fertilizer comprises one or more of a nitrogenous fertilizer, a phosphate fertilizer, or a potassium fertilizer.
4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange nanoparticle comprises:
the structural particle, wherein the ion exchange site is one of a plurality of native ion exchange sites;
the ion, wherein the ion is one of a plurality of fertilizer ions;
wherein at least one of the plurality of fertilizer ions is attached to at least one of the plurality of native ion exchange sites of the structural particle; and
wherein the ion exchange nanoparticle causes a delayed release of the plurality of fertilizer ions.
5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange nanoparticle is a component of the coating solution, and wherein the coating solution is sprayed on to the granular fertilizer when the first polymer, the second polymer, the wetting agent, and the ion exchange nanoparticle are dissolved in water.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein each of the wetting agent and the ion exchange nanoparticle is adsorbed by the granular fertilizer on a surface of the granular fertilizer.
7 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is in a desiccated form, and wherein the composition is applied to soil in the desiccated form.
8 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the granular fertilizer comprises a liquid loading potential such that the granular fertilizer adsorbs the wetting agent.
9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is manufactured by:
electrostatically charging the ion exchange nanoparticle; and
introducing the electrostatically charged ion exchange nanoparticle to the granular fertilizer.
10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange nanoparticle is manufactured by generating a solution comprising ultrapure water, the structural particle, and the ion; and
wherein the solution is dehydrated prior to introducing the ion exchange nanoparticle to the granular fertilizer.
11 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the wetting agent is an organic compound comprising a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group, and wherein the wetting agent is surface-active.
12 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the wetting agent comprises one or more of a hydrocarbon chain, a fluorocarbon chain, a siloxane chain, or a polyether chain.
13 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the wetting agent comprises one or more of:
a fluorosurfactant comprising a fluorocarbon chain; or
siloxane surfactant comprising a siloxane chain.
14 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the wetting agent terminates with a polar anionic group comprising an anionic functional group.
15 . The composition of claim 14 , wherein the anionic functional group comprises one or more of a sulfate, a sulfonate, a phosphate, or a carboxylate.
16 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange site of the structural particle is naturally filled with a native ion, and wherein the native ion is exchanged with the ion prior to the ion exchange nanoparticle being combined with the granular fertilizer.
17 . A composition comprising:
a granular fertilizer; and
a coating configured to be disposed around the granular fertilizer, wherein the coating comprises:
a first polymer that is water soluble;
a second polymer comprising a copolymer; and
a wetting agent configured to reduce a surface tension of water; and
an ion exchange nanoparticle that comprises:
a structural particle comprising an ion exchange site; and
an ion, wherein the ion is attracted to the structural particle at the ion exchange site;
wherein the composition is manufactured by heating the granular fertilizer to a liquid state.
18 . The composition of claim 17 , wherein manufacturing the composition comprises:
heating the granular fertilizer to a liquid state to generate molten fertilizer;
introducing a coating solution to the molten fertilizer to generate a molten solution, wherein the coating solution comprises the polymer and the wetting agent; and
cooling the molten solution to a solid state.