Synthesis and characterization of zinc-coated urea fertilizer

ABSTRACT

The research was focused on the synthesis and characterization of zinc (Zn)-coated urea fertilizer. Zinc oxide (ZnO) particles were coated on urea granules through two different coating techniques, i.e., slurry coating and wet coating, and the release rate of the coated Zn was measured up to 24 hours. Slurry coating technique showed better Zn release rate and morphology of coated urea granules as compared with wet coating technique using different binders, i.e., water, molasses, paraffin oil, and the combined mixture of honey bee wax and gum arabica. Urea granules synthesized through wet coating technique have a low amount of Zn as compared with slurry-coated urea granules. Urea granules coated through slurry coating technique and molasses, paraffin oil, and water (MPW) as a binder were the best in term of coating efficiency, uniform size distribution of ZnO-coated particles, granule's morphology, and release rate of Zn from coated formulations.

KEYWORDS:

• atomic absorption spectroscopy
• micronutrient
• urea fertilizer
• wet coating
• zinc oxide

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest statement in the manuscript.

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Dr Saiqa Imran, Senior Research officer at Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources for her assistance in the characterization of samples.This study was supported by the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by HEC Project No. UITSP/HEC/2014/1-51.