Biobased polymer composites derived from corn stover and feather meals as double-coating materials for controlled-release and water-retention urea fertilizers

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Aug 28;61(34):8166-74. doi: 10.1021/jf402519t. Epub 2013 Aug 20.

Abstract

In this paper, we synthesized a biobased polyurethane using liquefied corn stover, isocyanate, and diethylenetriamine. The synthesized polyurethane was used as a coating material to control nitrogen (N) release from polymer-coated urea. A novel superabsorbent composite was also formulated from chicken feather protein (CFP), acrylic acid, and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide and used as an outer coating material for water retention. We studied the N release characteristics and water-retention capability of the double-layer polymer-coated urea (DPCU) applied in both water and soils. The ear yields, dry matter accumulation, total N use efficiency and N leaching from a sweet corn soil-plant system under two different irrigation regimes were also investigated. Comparison of DPCU treatments with conventional urea fertilizer revealed that DPCU treatments reduced the N release rate and improved water retention capability. Evaluation of soil and plant characteristics within the soil-plant system revealed that DPCU application effectively reduced N leaching loss, improved total N use efficiency, and increased soil water retention capability.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemistry, Agricultural / methods*
  • Chickens
  • Delayed-Action Preparations / chemistry*
  • Feathers / chemistry*
  • Fertilizers / analysis*
  • Polyurethanes / chemical synthesis*
  • Urea / chemistry*
  • Zea mays / chemistry*

Substances

  • Delayed-Action Preparations
  • Fertilizers
  • Polyurethanes
  • Urea