Aqueous Seaweed Fertilizer Composition for High-Concentration Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid fertilizers often lack high concentrations of nutrients and biostimulants, leading to increased transportation and storage costs, packaging waste, and additional workload for farmers, while also failing to efficiently deliver multiple nutrients and biostimulants to crops.

Innovation Solution

An aqueous composition comprising phosphorus, boron, and seaweed extract, stabilized by alkanolamines, which maintains high solubility and stability, allowing for efficient delivery of nutrients and biostimulants to crops.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If liquid fertilizers are made more concentrated to minimize transport and storage costs, then transportation and storage efficiency is improved, but the solubility and stability of multiple nutrients and biostimulants deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconcentration of nutrients and biostimulantsVSAvoidsolubility and stability of nutrients and biostimulants
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces water-soluble polymers as intermediary substances that act as solubilizing agents and stability enhancers. These polymers form complex structures with nutrients and biostimulants, enabling high concentrations to be maintained in liquid form without precipitation or degradation. The polymers serve as a mediating medium that reconciles the conflicting requirements of high concentration and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite liquid fertilizer system combining multiple components: water-soluble nutrients, biostimulants, and water-soluble polymers. This composite formulation allows diverse substances with different solubility characteristics to coexist in a single stable liquid phase, achieving both high concentration and compositional stability through synergistic interactions among the components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If liquid fertilizers comprise multiple nutrients and biostimulants to reduce farmer workload, then application efficiency is improved, but the complexity of formulation and manufacturing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication efficiency and reduced workloadVSAvoidformulation and manufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The water-soluble polymers perform multiple functions simultaneously: they act as solubilizing agents, stability enhancers, and compatibility promoters for different nutrient types. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall formulation process compared to using separate additives for each function, reducing manufacturing complexity while enabling comprehensive nutrient delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple nutrients (N, P, K, secondary, and micronutrients) with biostimulants into a single integrated liquid formulation. By merging these components into one product, the system reduces the number of separate applications needed, improving productivity while the use of water-soluble polymers manages the formulation complexity through their ability to harmonize diverse components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If high concentrations of nutrients and biostimulants are delivered in a single application to reduce the number of applications, then productivity is improved, but the solubility and stability of the composition deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of applications requiredVSAvoidsolubility and stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Water-soluble polymers serve as intermediary carriers that enable high concentrations of nutrients and biostimulants to remain soluble and stable in liquid form. These polymers form protective complexes around the active ingredients, preventing precipitation and degradation even at elevated concentrations, thus allowing single-application high-dose delivery while maintaining compositional stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the fertilizer system by introducing water-soluble polymers that modify the solubility characteristics and stability parameters of the formulation. This parameter change enables the system to maintain homogeneity and stability at higher concentrations than would be possible with conventional formulations, supporting reduced application frequency.

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 composition enhances flower and fruit production, increases boron content across the plant, and improves nutrient-use efficiency, reducing the need for multiple applications and minimizing waste.

Implementation Method 1

An aqueous composition comprising phosphorus, boron and seaweed extract, in particular an aqueous composition comprising phosphorus, in particular a phosphate salt, boron, in particular boric acid, and a seaweed extract

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolubility stabilization: Solvation

Data Source

PatentEP4370487B1Aqueous composition comprising seaweed
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 YARA UK LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an aqueous composition comprising phosphorus, from 2.0 to 20 weight% of boron, and from 2.0 to 20 weight% of a seaweed extract. The present disclosure also provides a method for producing an aqueous composition, and the use of the aqueous composition as a fertilizer.