Coating agent and coated particulate fertilizers

Abstract

A coated fertilizer is provided along with a method for producing the coated fertilizer, where the coated fertilizer has a coating made of at least one amine compound which is a primary, secondary or tertiary, straight or branched hydrocarbon chain amine or an amine containing a cyclic hydrocarbon radical and; a microcrystalline wax, a paraffin wax or a soft synthetic wax.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A coated fertilizer having a coating consisting essentially of 
 (a) at least one amine compound which is a primary, secondary or tertiary, straight or branched hydrocarbon chain amine or an amine containing a cyclic hydrocarbon radical and;    (b) a microcrystalline wax, a paraffin wax or a soft synthetic wax.    
     
     
         2 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the amine is a single compound or mixture of amines which melts at a temperature of 43° C. to 93° C.  
     
     
         3 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 2 , wherein the amine is a single compound or a mixture of amines which are primary, secondary or tertiary, straight or branched chain amines of 12 to 18 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         4 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 3 , wherein the amine is a mixture of compounds of the formula CH 3 —(CH 2 —CH 2 ) x —CH 2 —NH 2  and wherein x is 6, 7, or 8.  
     
     
         5 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of amine to wax in the coating ranges from 5:95 to 95:5.  
     
     
         6 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the range is 70:30 to 90:10.  
     
     
         7 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein (b) is a microcrystalline wax.  
     
     
         8 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein (b) is a paraffin wax.  
     
     
         9 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 7 , wherein the microcrystalline wax is a single wax or mixture of microcrystalline waxes which melts at 60° C. to 100° C. and comprises from 80 to 95% normal alkanes and from 5 to 20% non-normal alkanes.  
     
     
         10 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 7 , wherein the microcrystalline wax is a single wax or mixture of microcrystalline waxes which melts at 74° C. to 96° C. and comprises from 85 to 95% normal alkanes and from 7 to 15% non-normal alkanes.  
     
     
         11 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the fertilizer is an ammonium nitrate prill.  
     
     
         12 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of coating ranges from 0.01 to 0.05% by weight.  
     
     
         13 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the amount of coating ranges from 0.01 to 0.05% by weight.  
     
     
         14 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has a water vapor transmission rate of less than or equal to 130 H 2 O/m 2  day.  
     
     
         15 . The coated fertilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the coated ammonium nitrate particle is a fertilizer.  
     
     
         16 . A method of coating an fertilizer comprising contacting the fertilizer with a mixture of at least one amine compound which is a primary, secondary or tertiary, straight or branched hydrocarbon chain amine or an amine containing a cyclic hydrocarbon radical; and a microcrystalline wax, a paraffin wax or a soft synthetic wax at a temperature of 16° C. to about 110° C. with fertilizer for a time sufficient to obtain a coating on the fertilizer particle.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mixture is applied to the fertilizer at a temperature ranging from 54° C. to 93° C.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the amount of said mixture applied to said fertilizer ranges from 0.005% to 0.2% by weight.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the microcrystalline wax is a single wax or mixture of microcrystalline waxes which melts at 60° C. to 100° C. and comprises from 80 to 95% normal alkanes and from 5 to 20% non-normal alkanes.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the microcrystalline wax is a single wax or mixture of microcrystalline waxes which melts at 74° C. to 96° C. and comprises from 85 to 95% normal alkanes and from 7 to 15% non-normal alkanes.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the amine is a single compound or mixture of amines which are primary, secondary or tertiary, straight or branched chain amine compounds of 12 to 18 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the ratio of amine to wax in the coating ranges from 5:95 to 95:5.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fertilizer is an ammonium nitrate prill.