One of the most significant challenges of handling bulk fertilizers is their affinity to absorb moisture, as well as their negative structural response to the mechanism of deliquescence. Blending different kinds of fertilizers usually makes them even more susceptible to moisture absorption by increasing the rate of deliquescence compared to the individual fertilizers.
In World Fertilizer’s November/December issue, Arkema-ArrMaz’s Lucas R. Moore, Director of Coatings Technology, and Juan A. González-León, R&D Manager Crop Nutrition Europe, explain moisture absorption and the phenomenon of deliquescence in fertilizer substrates. They also discuss how the application of fertilizer coatings tailor-made for specific substrate combinations and supply chain conditions can significantly slow the rate of deliquescence.
