Compositions of substantially spherical particles and methods of making thereof

• US 9,034,072 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KOCH Agronomic Services LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: KOCH Agronomic Services LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gabrielson, Kurt D, Wertz, Stacey L, Bobeck, Drew R, Sutton, Allen R
• Primary Examiner(s): LANGEL, WAYNE A
• Application Number:
  US13/968,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 71 28- 30
• US Class Current: 71/28
• CPC Class Codes: C05B 15/00 Organic phosphatic fertilisers bone meal C05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 1/00 Ammonium nitrate fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/00 Fertilisers containing urea or urea compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C05C 9/02 containing urea-formaldehyde condensates
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/90 for affecting the nitrification of ammonium compounds or urea in the soil
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/12 Granules or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/30 Layered or coated, e.g. dust-preventing coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 9/224 Phosphorus triamides
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Abstract

An improved composition comprising substantial spherical UFP particles and an active agent, such as NBPT, and optionally other components is used as an additive for liquid and solid fertilizers, typically containing urea. Methods of making the compositions and their use are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A composition comprising

a) from about 30% to about 70% of an active agent and

b) from about 70% to about 30% by weight of substantially spherical urea-formaldehyde polymer (UFP) particles based on the total weight of the composition;

wherein a majority of the substantially spherical UFP particles have a particle diameter from about 10 μ

m to about 150 μ

m.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the active agent is a urease inhibitor.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the active agent is N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT).

4. A dicyandiamide (DCD) composition comprising DCD and the composition of claim 3, wherein the NBPT is in the range of about 0.4% to about 15%, the amount of the substantially spherical UFP particles is about 0.6% to about 40%, and the amount of the DCD is from about 40% to about 95% based on the total weight of the composition.

5. The composition of claim 1, further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of a conditioner, a dye, and xanthan gum.

6. The composition of claim 5, wherein the conditioner comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of tricalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium ferricyanide, potassium ferricyanide, bone phosphate, sodium silicate, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, talcum powder, bentonite, calcium aluminum silicate, stearic acid, sodium aluminosilicate, and polyacrylate powder.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the substantially spherical UFP particles are made by,

acidifying a aqueous methylol urea solution, wherein the aqueous methylol urea solution is made by reacting urea and formaldehyde at a urea:

formaldehyde mole ratio of from 0.7;

1 to 1.25;

1 and wherein the aqueous methylol urea solution comprises a dispersing agent, is subjected to a high shear condition during the acidifying or both comprises the dispersing agent and is subjected to the high shear condition, to form an aqueous dispersion of insoluble urea-formaldehyde polymer particles, and

drying the dispersion to recover the urea-formaldehyde polymer particles.

8. The composition of claim 1, made by a process comprising contacting the substantially spherical UFP particles with a solution of said active agent in a solvent under conditions including elevated temperatures and sub-atmospheric pressures, thereby forming said composition.

9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of NMP and polyethylene glycol.

10. A urea composition comprising urea and the composition of claim 1, wherein said urea is present in an amount between about 90% and about 99% by weight, and said active agent is present in an amount between about 0.02% and about 0.5% by weight.

11. The urea composition of claim 10, wherein the active agent is NBPT.

12. A composition of claim 11, wherein DCD is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 90% by weight.

13. A urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) composition comprising an aqueous solution of UAN and the composition of claim 1, wherein said urea is present in said aqueous solution in an amount between about 24% and about 32% by weight, said ammonium nitrate is present in an amount between about 34% and about 42% by weight, said active agent is present in an amount between about 0.01% and about 0.4% by weight, and said dicyandiamide is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 2.0% by weight.

14. The UAN composition of claim 13, wherein the active agent is NBPT.

15. The urea composition of claim 10 prepared by blending or mixing the composition of claim 1 with the other components.

16. The urea composition of claim 10, wherein the urea composition is a granular fertilizer.

17. The urea composition of claim 15, wherein the diameter of the granules of said granular fertilizer ranges from about 0.80 to about 4.8 millimeters.

18. A method of using the composition of claim 1, comprising using the composition in an agricultural applications.