Controlled-release urea encapsulated by ethyl cellulose/butyl acrylate/vinyl acetate hybrid latex

Abstract

Fertilizer encapsulation through polymer membranes can reduce fertilizer losses and minimize environmental pollution. In this paper, an emulsion of ethyl cellulose (EC)/vinyl acetate (VAc)/butyl acrylate (BA) was successfully prepared by pre-emulsifi ed semi-continuous seed emulsion polymerization. EC/BA/VAc fi lms showed biodegradability. The infl uence of the EC content on the properties of EC/BA/VAc fi lms was also investigated by DSC, a water absorbency analysis, etc. Controlled-release urea encapsulated by EC/BA/VAc latex was prepared in a fi lm coating machine and conformed to the standards for slow-release fertilizers of the Committee of European Normalization. The release of urea from controlled-release urea encapsulated by EC/BA/VAc latex containing 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% EC was 75.1%, 65.8%, 70.1% and 84.1%, respectively, after 42 days, and controlled-release urea encapsulated by EC/BA/VAc latex (5% EC) had the best controlled-release ability. Therefore, controlled-release urea encapsulated by EC/BA/VAc latex has many potential applications in agricultural industry.

Cation release from different carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels

“…Thus, the open space for water determines the rate of water penetration or exchange, which affects the release rate of nutrients. Several studies applied this property to produce SRFs [17,[28][29][30].…”

Production, Mechanisms, and Performance of Controlled-Release Fertilizers Encapsulated with Biodegradable-Based Coatings

“…42−44,48−53 Specifically, fertilizer delivery systems based on biobased polymers might result in significant advantages over their fossil fuel-based counterparts: good biocompatibility and affinity for biomolecules present in the agricultural soil, biodegradability, lower costs, high water retention capacity, improvement in soil permeability, and enhanced NUE into the natural soil matrix. 13,49,54 Cost− benefits analysis for biobased polymer CRFs is weighted in the significant increase in crop production. 55−57 For instance, Zhang et al 58 found that the cost of poly(acrylic acid)-coated lignin−clay nanohybrid CRF was reduced 74−75% as compared to urea-formaldehyde fertilizer and increased by only 16−18% compared to bare urea.…”

“…In the past few years, biobased polymers extracted from benign organic wastes are becoming a feasible alternative to produce CRFs as they could be easily degraded by native soil microorganisms. − ,− Specifically, fertilizer delivery systems based on biobased polymers might result in significant advantages over their fossil fuel-based counterparts: good biocompatibility and affinity for biomolecules present in the agricultural soil, biodegradability, lower costs, high water retention capacity, improvement in soil permeability, and enhanced NUE into the natural soil matrix. ,, Cost–benefits analysis for biobased polymer CRFs is weighted in the significant increase in crop production. − For instance, Zhang et al found that the cost of poly­(acrylic acid)-coated lignin–clay nanohybrid CRF was reduced 74–75% as compared to urea-formaldehyde fertilizer and increased by only 16–18% compared to bare urea. Likewise, Tang et al reported that the production cost of a CRF coated with sodium alginate is up to five times higher than bare urea, yet only twice as compared to a commercial CRF urea fertilizer coated with a synthetic polymer (i. e., Kingenta ).…”

Sugarcane bagasse derived phosphorylated cellulose as substrates for potassium release induced by phosphates surface and drying methods

“…Furthermore, only a few have reported cellulose-based EEFs in forms other than hydrogels. Solution-casting of emulsions based on ethylcellulose, vinyl acetate, butyl acrylate, and urea has been performed to obtain films for slow nitrogen release, i.e., 84.1% after 42 days in water (Li et al, 2018). Most recently, double-coating urea having ethylcellulose as an inner layer and cellulose-based superabsorbent (pretreated cellulose grafted with acrylic acid and acrylamide) as outer layer slowed nitrogen release in soil to 58.6% within 15 days (Zhang and Yang, 2020).…”