Hydrophobic coatings to improve the physical quality parameters of fertilizers
AssigneeThe Mosaic Company
InventorsMichael John McLaughlin, Jozefien Louisa Elvire Degryse, Roslyn Jane Baird, Rodrigo Coqui da Silva, Jerri Light
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Abstract
A fertilizer composition including a base fertilizer granule with a hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic coating that reduces fertilizer caking and dust formation. The coating can include a roughening component, which creates micron-scale surface roughness, and a hydrophobic coating. Together, the components of the coating act to physically protect water soluble fertilizers granules from the ingress of moisture and from caking, and increase the resistance of the granules to abrasion.
Claims17
A fertilizer product comprising a plurality of granules coated for moisture control, each of the coated granules comprising:
- a base fertilizer granule;
- and
- a moisture control coating applied to the base fertilizer granule, the coating including a hydrophobic material component and a roughening component, wherein the hydrophobic material component comprises a wax, wherein the roughening component is present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % based on a total weight of the coated granule, and the hydrophobic material is present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % based on the total weight of the coated granule.
A method of providing a moisture control treatment to fertilizer granules, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of fertilizer granules;
- and
- coating the fertilizer granules with a moisture control treatment material to form coated granules, the moisture control treatment material comprising a hydrophobic material and a roughening component, wherein the hydrophobic material component comprises a wax, and wherein the roughening component is present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % based on a total weight of the coated granules and the hydrophobic material is present in an amount of from about 0.01 wt % to about 10 wt % based on the total weight of the coated granules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.