Coated Fertilizer Film Composition to Prevent Layering Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coated fertilizers face issues with layering failure and agglomeration due to the use of stearic acid and wax, limiting the degree of freedom in coating design and leading to yield reduction.
Innovation Solution
A coated fertilizer is developed using a coating film containing a salt of a fatty acid with 20 or more carbon atoms and a wax, specifically including a salt of a dimer or trimer acid with a branched or ring structure, and a petroleum or plant-based wax, applied in multiple layers to suppress layering failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stearic acid and wax are used to coat water-soluble fertilizer, then controlled-release function is achieved, but layering failure and agglomeration occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the coating material by using salts of fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms instead of stearic acid. This parameter change maintains the controlled-release function while preventing layering failure and agglomeration during the coating process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite coating material system consisting of salt of fatty acid (20+ carbon atoms) combined with specific additives. This composite approach achieves both the controlled-release function and manufacturing reliability by combining materials with complementary properties.
2Duration of action of moving object
If multiple coating layers are stacked to control elution time, then release control is improved, but layering failure limits degree of freedom in coating design
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the chemical composition parameters to use salt of fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, the patent enables successful stacking of multiple coating layers without layering failure, thereby achieving both prolonged elution control and design versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The salt of fatty acid coating material provides multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents layering failure, enables multi-layer stacking, controls elution time, and maintains coating design flexibility. This universal material solves multiple problems at once.
3Quantity of substance
If wax is added to stearate coating film, then coating completeness is improved, but particle agglomeration occurs requiring additional external force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the base material parameter from stearic acid to salt of fatty acid with 20 or more carbon atoms. This parameter change allows wax to be added for complete coating without causing particle agglomeration, maintaining both coating completeness and processability.
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 solution effectively suppresses layering failure, enhances yield to 50% or more, and reduces initial elution, with moisture permeability controlled to 52 g/(m²·24 h) or less, improving the overall production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a coating film covering the water-soluble granular fertilizer, in which the coating film contains a salt of a fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms and a wax
Implementation Method 2
when wax or stearic acid is additionally supplied to the surface of the formed coating film of the stearate, the particles during rolling form an agglomerate that cannot be crushed without additional external force
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A coated fertilizer containing a water-soluble granular fertilizer and a coating film covering the water-soluble granular fertilizer in which the coating film contains a salt of a fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms and a wax.