Ammonium Polyphosphate Fertilizer with Polyurethane Coating

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current phosphate fertilizers have low utilization rates due to rapid immobilization in soil, lack of medium and trace elements, and insolubility issues, leading to inefficient nutrient absorption by plants.

Innovation Solution

A controlled release fertilizer containing ammonium polyphosphate with a degree of polymerization between 5 to 20, coated with polyurethane, which includes nitrogen, potassium, and multiple medium and trace elements, ensuring slow and sustained release of phosphorus and trace elements, preventing precipitation and improving solubility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If water-soluble phosphate fertilizer is used to provide quick fertilization effect, then phosphorus availability to plants is improved, but phosphorus is rapidly fixed by soil colloids and hypervalent cations, reducing utilization rate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefertilization speedVSAvoidphosphorus utilization rate
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical form of phosphorus from orthophosphate to polyphosphate, altering its polymerization degree (n=6-30) to modify solubility and release characteristics. This parameter change allows phosphorus to remain soluble enough for plant uptake while resisting rapid fixation by soil colloids and cations, thereby maintaining both quick effect and high utilization rate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite fertilizer system combining polyphosphate with specific ratios of nitrogen (15-30%), phosphorus (10-20%), potassium (10-20%), and trace elements. This composite formulation enhances phosphorus availability while preventing rapid fixation, achieving both fast action and sustained effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If phosphate fertilizer is evenly distributed in soil to facilitate root absorption, then phosphorus accessibility to roots is improved, but fixation by soil increases, reducing fertilization efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroot absorption efficiencyVSAvoidfertilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By changing phosphorus from orthophosphate to polyphosphate form and controlling polymerization degree (n=6-30), the patent reduces phosphorus fixation by soil colloids while maintaining solubility. This allows even distribution in soil without proportionate increase in fixation losses, improving both root accessibility and overall fertilization efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If polyphosphate with high degree of polymerization is used to reduce water solubility and prevent fixation, then phosphorus retention in soil is improved, but water solubility decreases, reducing quick fertilization effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephosphorus retentionVSAvoidfertilization speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the polymerization degree parameter to a specific range (n=6-30), balancing solubility and fixation resistance. This controlled parameter adjustment ensures sufficient water solubility for quick plant uptake while maintaining enough polymerization to prevent rapid fixation, achieving both fast action and phosphorus retention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The fertilizer achieves a higher utilization rate of phosphorus and trace elements, enhancing crop nutrition and yield while reducing costs and environmental impact.

Implementation Method 1

slow and sustained release of phosphorus and trace elements

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

improving solubility

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 3

coated with polyurethane, which includes nitrogen, potassium, and multiple medium and trace elements, ensuring slow and sustained release

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentUS20230295056A1Controlled release fertilizer containing ammonium polyphosphate and its preparation methods
Publication Date: 2023.09.21 MAOSHI AGRI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A controlled release fertilizer containing ammonium polyphosphate includes fertilizer core particles and fertilizer envelopes coated on a surface of the fertilizer core particles respectively. P (phosphorus) is only from ammonium polyphosphate, and ammonium polyphosphate has a degree of polymerization in a range of 5 to 20. A preparation method of the controlled release fertilizer includes steps of (1) weighing the phosphorus source, the nitrogen source, the potassium source and the multiple metallic medium and trace element sources in the above weight parts, pulverizing, and obtaining powders by sieving through a sieve with a mesh number of 80; (2) preparing fertilizer core particles; (3) preparing polyurethane envelopes on a surface of the fertilizer core particles respectively, and (4) adding the agglomerant in the above weight parts into the fertilizer core particles coated with the polyurethane envelopes and cooling to 20° C.