Only
47% of the total fertilizer nitrogen applied to the environment
is taken up by the plants whereas approximately 40% of the total fertilizer
nitrogen lost to the environment reverts back into unreactive atmospheric
dinitrogen that greatly affects the global nitrogen cycle including
increased energy consumption for NH3 synthesis, as well
as accumulation of nitrates in drinking water. In this letter, we
provide a mechanochemical method of inorganic magnesium and calcium
salt–urea ionic cocrystal synthesis to obtain enhanced stability
nitrogen fertilizers. The solvent-free mechanochemical synthesis presented
can result in a greater manufacturing process sustainability by reducing
or eliminating the need for solution handling and evaporation. NH3 emission testing suggests that urea ionic cocrystals are
capable of decreasing NH3 emissions to the environment
when compared to pure urea, thus providing implications for a sustainable
global solution to the management of the nitrogen cycle.
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