Fertilizer capsule comprising one or more cores and method of making same

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, disclosed herein is a fertilizer capsule comprising one or more cores, wherein each of the one or more cores independently comprises one or more fertilizer additives and a binder, and wherein each of the one or more cores comprises from 10 wt % to 99 wt % of the binder Also in accordance with the present invention, disclosed here is a method of producing a fertilizer core via an extrusion process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fertilizer capsule comprising:
 one or more cores comprising one or more fertilizer additives comprising:
 a primary nutrient comprising nitrogen; 
 10 wt. % to 50 wt. % of a secondary nutrient comprising calcium, based on the total weight of the core; 
 an inhibitor comprising a urease inhibitor or a nitrification inhibitor, or a combination thereof; and 
   an outer shell that at least partially surrounds each of the one or more cores, wherein the outer shell comprises urea, or other nitrogen fertilizer, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the fertilizer capsule comprises two or more cores. 
     
     
         3 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the primary nutrient comprises urea. 
     
     
         4 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises 15 wt. % to 80 wt. % of the primary nutrient. 
     
     
         5 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary nutrient comprises CaCO 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 5 , wherein the CaCO 3  is comprised in eggshell, bone meal, or limestone, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more cores comprise 10 wt. % to 30 wt. % of CaCO 3 , based on the total weight of the core. 
     
     
         8 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor comprises a urease inhibitor. 
     
     
         9 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the urease inhibitor comprises N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT) or phenyl phosphorodiamidate (PPDA), or a combination thereof, and wherein the nitrification inhibitor comprises 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), thio-urea (TU), dicyandiamide (DCD), 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl)-pyridine (Nitrapyrin), 5-ethoxy-3-trichloromethyl-1,2,4-thiadiazol (Terrazole), 2-amino-4-chloro-6-methyl-pyrimidine (AM), 2-mercapto-benzothiazole (MBT), or 2-sulfanimalamidothiazole (ST), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fertilizer additives further comprise a micronutrient. 
     
     
         11 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 10 , wherein the micronutrient comprises inorganic or organometallic compounds of boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chloride (Cl), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) or zinc (Zn), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more cores comprise 15 wt. % to 80 wt. % of urea, based on the total weight of the core. 
     
     
         13 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises 60 wt. % to 99 wt. % of urea, based on the total weight of the fertilizer capsule. 
     
     
         14 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises 85 wt. % to 99 wt. % of the fertilizer capsule. 
     
     
         15 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more cores further comprise a binder. 
     
     
         16 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 15 , wherein the binder comprises a phosphate, a polyphosphate, a biodegradable polymer, or a wax, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 16 , wherein the binder comprises a biodegradable polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more cores further comprise a filler. 
     
     
         19 . A method for preparing the fertilizer capsule of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 a) obtaining a mixture comprising the primary nutrient, the secondary nutrient, and the inhibitor, and   b) forming the mixture into a shape, thereby forming a core.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 c) fattening the core with the urea, or other nitrogen fertilizer, or a combination thereof, thereby forming the outer shell.