Biodegradable and bioderived coatings for controlled release fertilisers (2025-2027)
Abstract
Given the need to feed 9.7 billion people by 2050, it is vital to create a sustainable agricultural system. However, our current, essential fertilizer use has caused significant environmental challenges due to nutrient solubility. Better nutrient use efficiency is urgently required. Yet current coated fertilizers produce nondegradable microplastic residues. This project will deliver the first bioderived and biodegradable thin polymer coatings for high-efficiency fertilizers using innovative polyurethane chemistry, reactive extrusion processes, and in-house coating technologies. Nutrient release and transformations in soil and water will be quantified and modeled, along with plant yields, leading to advanced, sustainable fertiliser products.
