# US 11,306,037 B2 · Enhanced efficiency fertilizer with urease inhibitor and nitrification separated within the same particle

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- Number: US 11,306,037 B2
- Document ID: US11306037B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/605,647
- Filed: 2018-04-12
- Published: 2020-05-07
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-19
- Assignees: Sabic Global Technologies B.V.
- Applicants: Sabic Global Technologies B.V.
- Inventors: Ravi Hegde; Rajamalleswaramma Koripelly; Chandra Mohana; Radha Achanath; Samik Gupta; Sabeshan Kanagalingam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306037B2

## CPC

- C05G 5/35: Capsules, e.g. core-shell
- C05C 9/00: Fertilisers containing urea or urea compounds
- C05C 9/005: {Post-treatment}
- C05C 11/00: Other nitrogenous fertilisers
- C05G 3/90: for affecting the nitrification of ammonium compounds or urea in the soil
- C05G 5/30: Layered or coated, e.g. dust-preventing coatings
- Y02P 60/21: Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures
- C05G: MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS (organic fertilisers containing added bacterial cultures, mycelia, or the like C05F11/08; organic fertilisers containing plant vitamins or hormones C05F11/10); FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
- C05C: NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Fertilizer particles with urease inhibitors and nitrification inhibitors are described herein. The fertilizer particles can include a core particle comprising a urease inhibitor and an outer layer comprising a nitrification inhibitor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fertilizer particle comprising:
a core particle that includes a urease inhibitor and a binder; and
a shell comprising a nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition and a nitrification inhibitor, the shell being in contact with the outer surface of the core particle and at least partially surrounding the outer surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the urease inhibitor comprises N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT) and the nitrification inhibitor comprises dicyandiamide (DCD).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the binder comprises one or more of Plaster of Paris, flour, biodegradable bleached wheat flour, starch, gluten, kaolin, bentonite, or colloidal silica.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the binder is present in the core particle in an amount between 10 and 99 wt % of the core particle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the core particle further comprises a filler in an amount between greater than 0 and 60 wt % of the core particle, wherein the filler comprises one or more of silica, dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), CaCO3, chalk powder, or rice husk.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the core particle further comprises a pH buffering agent in an amount between 5 and 60 wt % of the core particle, wherein the pH buffering agent comprises one or more of chalk powder, CaCO3, MgO, KH2PO4, NaHCO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3, or MgCO3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the core particle further comprises a polymer thickener in an amount between 0.1 and 1 wt % of the core particle, wherein the polymer thickener comprises hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol (PEG), guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, a natural gum, or hydroxyethyl cellulose.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the amount of the urease inhibitor in the core particle is between 1 and 5 wt % of the core particle and the amount of the nitrification inhibitor in the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition is between 0.5 and 2 wt % of the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the amount of the urease inhibitor in the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition is no more than 0.01 wt % of the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition and the amount of nitrification inhibitor in the core particle is no more than 0.01 wt % of the core particle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition substantially surrounds the core particle or fully surrounds the core particle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the core particle is between 0.5 and 2 mm and the thickness of the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition is between 1 and 6 mm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the core particle is an extruded particle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen fertilizer-containing composition comprises urea.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, wherein the fertilizer particle is configured to retain at least 90% of the urease inhibitor remaining after being stored at 22° C. for 30 days in a sealed container.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The fertilizer particle of claim 1, comprising 1-5 wt % binder, 1-5 wt % filler, 1-5 wt % pH buffering agent, 0.01-0.1 wt % polymer thickener, 0.05-0.2 wt % urease inhibitor, 90-95 wt % nitrogen fertilizer, and 0.5-2 wt % nitrification inhibitor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A fertilizer composition comprising:
the fertilizer particle of claim 1, and
another fertilizer particle comprising a core and a shell, wherein the core comprises urea, at least one of a urease inhibitor or nitrification inhibitor, and at least one of a binder, a filler, a pH buffering agent, or a polymer thickener, and wherein the shell comprises urea and a nitrification inhibitor.

### Claim 17

A fertilizer particle comprising:
(a) a core particle that includes N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT) and a binder; and
(b) a shell comprising a solid urea composition and dicyandiamide (DCD).

### Claim 18

A method of making a fertilizer particle, the method comprising:
providing a core particle comprising N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT) and a binder;
providing a fertilizer composition comprising molten urea and dicyandiamide (DCD); and
contacting the core particle with the fertilizer composition under conditions sufficient to solidify the fertilizer composition on an outer surface of the core particle to form a solid fertilizer particle comprising the solidified fertilizer composition in contact with the outer surface of the core particle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein contacting the core particle with the fertilizer composition comprises spraying the fertilizer composition onto the core particle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the core particle is made by extruding a composition comprising between 35 and 55 wt % binder, between 35 and 50 wt % of an agent which is both a filler and a pH buffering agent, between 0.1 and 1 wt % polymer thickener, and between 1 and 2.2 wt % NBTPT.