relation: https://khub.utp.edu.my/scholars/13494/
title: Production and characterization of controlled release urea using biopolymer and geopolymer as coating materials
creator: Azeem, B.
creator: KuShaari, K.
creator: Naqvi, M.
creator: Keong, L.K.
creator: Almesfer, M.K.
creator: Al-Qodah, Z.
creator: Naqvi, S.R.
creator: Elboughdiri, N.
description: Synthetic polymers-based controlled release urea (CRU) leaves non-biodegradable coating shells when applied in soil. Several alternative green materials are used to produce CRU, but most of these studies have issues pertaining to nitrogen release longevity, process viability, and the ease of application of the finished product. In this study, we utilized tapioca starch, modified by polyvinyl alcohol and citric acid, as coating material to produce controlled release coated urea granules in a rotary fluidized bed equipment. Response surface methodology is employed for studying the interactive effect of process parameters on urea release characteristics. Statistical analysis indicates that the fluidizing air temperature and spray rate are the most influential among all five process parameters studied. The optimum values of fluidizing air temperature (80 °C), spray rate (0.13 mL/s), atomizing pressure (3.98 bar), process time (110 min), and spray temperature (70 °C) were evaluated by multi-objective optimization while using genetic algorithms in MATLAB®. Urea coated by modified-starch was double coated by a geopolymer to enhance the controlled release characteristics that produced promising results with respect to the longevity of nitrogen release from the final product. This study provides leads for the design of a fluidized bed for the scaled-up production of CRU. © 2020 by the authors. All rights reserved.
publisher: MDPI AG
date: 2020
type: Article
type: PeerReviewed
identifier:   Azeem, B. and KuShaari, K. and Naqvi, M. and Keong, L.K. and Almesfer, M.K. and Al-Qodah, Z. and Naqvi, S.R. and Elboughdiri, N.  (2020) Production and characterization of controlled release urea using biopolymer and geopolymer as coating materials.  Polymers, 12 (2).   ISSN 20734360     
relation: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85080048804&doi=10.3390%2fpolym12020400&partnerID=40&md5=9222fd4b46c7867f49c4cc145171f75a
relation: 10.3390/polym12020400
identifier: 10.3390/polym12020400