New Slow Release Fertilizer from ENR-50/RH/Urea Composites: Effect of Sodium Chloride Concentration

Abstract

A green and renewable slow release material (SRM) was developed using combination of urea, epoxidized natural rubber (ENR-50), NaCl and rice husk (RH). The RH was used as a support to store urea within its fibrous structure after chemical modification with 7% sodium hydroxide (NaOH). ENR-50/NaCl was used as a coating material for RH/urea beads. Two different content of salt (5% and 10% NaCl) was used to study the effect of pore formation on the composites. FTIR spectroscopy reveals that urea was successfully absorbed into RH and the recorded peaks were overlapped with the main components of RH such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. UV-Vis reveals that at 10% salt loading releases urea higher than 5% salt loading. This is due to the formation of many pores in this ENR-50 composite.