United States Patent Office 2,770,538

Patented Nov. 13, 1956

1. 2
3. Add H3PO4 to obtain the desired percent of PaOs;
for example, 20% P2O5 by weight.
2,770,538 4. Neutralize H3PO4 with NH3 by bubbling the NH3
into the aqueous solution; or, as an alternative, prepare
LIQUED FERTILIZERS the desired aqueous ammonia solution and add it to the
acid solution.
Donald E. Vierling, Pittsburgh, Pa. 5. Add sufficient NH2CONH2. (urea) to the above to
No Drawing. Application August 11, 1954, provide at least 5% by weight N in the final composition.
Serial No. 449,247 0.
If desired, NH2CONH2 may be added to provide the
balance of the N to make a total of at least 10% N.
2 Claims. (CI. 71-29) 6. Add the desired nitrogen content (considering the
nitrogen already added by the NH3 to neutralize the
HaRO4 and the 5% N or more obtained from
This invention relates to compositions of matter which 5 NH2CONH2)
are intended to assist plant growth, and more particularly by adding equal molecular weights of NH3 (bubbling it
to liquid fertilizers. in) and HNO3 to obtain the desired percent of nitrogen;
It is, of course, well known that nitrogen (N), phos example, 10% by weight.
phoric pentoxide (P205), and potassium oxide (K2O) 7. Add effective quantities of a standard wetting agent;
are nutrients to plant life, and such have, for many years, 20 for example, 0.50% by weight.
been widely used in dry fertilizers. More recently, these 8. Add the following desired trace elements:
nutrients have become available in fertilizers which are
furnished to the trade in liquid form, usually as a con Manganese sulphate Iodine monobromide
centrate for subsequent dilution in water. Boric acid Iron sulphate
Recent surveys show that most users of water soluble 25 Copper sulphate Sodium molybdate
fertilizers much prefer that it be furnished to them in Zinc sulphate Magnesium sulphate
liquid form, thereby eliminating any necessity for their Cobalt sulphate Calcium sulphate
having to make up solutions from solid particulate form, Other water soluble trace elements may, of source, be
with its attendant disadvantages. Furthermore, it has used to supply various soil deficiencies.
been found that users of liquid fertilizers prefer high 30 The aforementioned standard wetting, or surface ac
concentrations of nutrients to minimize shipping and tive, agent may be selected from the anionic or nonionic,
container costs. In addition, they prefer that there be no the following ones having proved to be effective in ob
crystallization of the liquid fertilizer above water-freezing taining the benefits of the teachings of the present in
temperature (i. e., 32 F.) in order that there be a true vention:
solution with no crystals or undissolved particles to con 35
Ultra wet Triton X-100
tend with, as these render spraying decidedly more diffi Santomeres Triethanolamine
cult, actually lower the nutrient content of the liquid, etc. Naconal Super wet LD
It is, accordingly, one of the objectives of the present Oronite D-40 Dupanel
invention to provide a much improved liquid fertilizer
which may be furnished to the trade in liquid form, and 40 From the foregoing, it is believed manifest that a num
containing at least 40% by weight nutrients and having a ber of water soluble compounds will provide the nutrient
crystallization point no higher than 32 F. solutions.
I have further discovered that liquid fertilizers made The present invention contemplates nitrogen (N), phos
from free ammonia, urea, phosphoric acid, potassium phoric pentoxide (P2O5) and potassium oxide (K2O) in
hydroxide and nitric acid have numerous advantages from 45 various weight ratios, such as 10-20-10; of completely
both the use and the manufacturing standpoints; and, water soluble nutrients at least 40% by weight; and the
when supplemented by a wetting agent in effective quan wetting, or surface active, agent (for example, Ultra Wet)
tities, they are absorbed by the plants in tremendously present to the extent of ten pounds per ton of liquid
increased manner, thereby practically eliminating any fertilizer.
possibility of leeching, evaporation or any other form 50 It is recognized that small quantities of wetting agents
of loss. Therefore, to all intents and purposes, the plant have heretofore been used in dry fertilizers to prevent
obtains the complete value of the nutrients of the im caking, decrease the drying time, etc. However, the
proved liquid fertilizer of the present invention. liquid fertilizer of the present invention contemplates the
Referring to the manufacturing standpoint, I have presence of a wetting agent to a vastly greater extent, and,
further discovered that, when liquid fertilizers are made 55 in any event, not less than 4% in the mixture as applied
from urea, anhydrous ammonia, phosphoric acid, potas to the plants, its purpose being to enable the immediate
sium hydroxide and nitric acid, and employing the fol absorption of the nutrients and other chemicals by the
lowing procedure, they contain at least 40% by weight plant, as previously stated.
The anhydrous or aqueous ammonia provides the ni
nutrients (N, P2O5 and K2O in various ratios); they 60 trogen in a readily available form so that it can be
have a crystallization point no higher than 32 F.; they used direct, or is easily converted by the plant to the
are much cheaper to manufacture than are liquid ferti nitride, and used as a plant nutrient.
lizers made by standard procedures now in common use, The liquid fertilizer of the present invention has been
or any other procedure now known to me; and also that, found to serve as a very effective vehicle for additional
when so manufactured, they have decided insecticidal 65 water soluble agricultural chemicals generally used in
value: agriculture, such as weed killer, soil conditioners, seques
1. Add water to obtain the desired solutions; for ex tering agents, insecticides, fungicides, vitamins, penicillin,
ample, approximately 28% by weight of water is em anti-biotics, and growth stimulating hormones.
ployed to obtain a 10-20-10 liquid fertilizer. In hard water areas, some difficulty with the solubility
2. Add KOH to the water to obtain desired percent 70 of certain of the agricultural chemicals might be ex
of K2O in the final composition; for example 10% pected. However, I have discovered that, along with the
K2O by weight. wetting agent, and preferably in equal proportions there
 2,770,588
3 4.
with to obtain the aforementioned total percentages, any 2. The method of manufacturing a liquid fertilizer
one of the well known sequestering agents (for example, which comprises adding to water sufficient potassium hy
of the polyphosphate variety) not only improves solu drixoide to obtain the desired percentage of potassium
bility, but actually aids in improved biological activity. oxide, adding sufficient phosphoric acid to obtain the de
The present application is a continuation-in-part of sired percentage of phosphorus pentoxide, neutralizing the
my patent application Serial No. 362,943. phosphoric acid with ammonia, adding sufficient urea to
While I have shown and described certain specific provide the desired amount of organic nitrogen, said or
embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily ganic nitrogen avoiding fast assimilation of nitrogen, and
understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly adding equal molecular weights of ammonia and nitric
thereto, since various modifications may be made with O acid to obtain the desired total percentage of nitrogen.
out departing from the scope of the invention as defined
in the appended claims. References Cited in the file of this patent
I claim: - UNITED STATES PATENTS
1. The method of manufacturing a liquid fertilizer 1,950,068 Spangenberg ------------ Mar. 6, 1934
which comprises adding to water sufficient potassium hy 5
2,036,870 Harvey ---------------- Apr. 7, 1936
droxide to obtain the desired percentage of potassium 2,102,830 Brill------------------- Dec. 21, 1937
oxide, adding sufficient phosphoric acid to obtain the 2,255,027 Keenen ---------------- Sept. 2, 1941
desired percentage of phosphorous pentoxide, neutraliz 2,279,200 Keenen ----------------- Apr. 7, 1942
ing the phosphoric acid with ammonia and adding suf 2,314,091 Jones ----------------- Mar. 16, 1943
ficient urea to provide the desired amount of organic 20
2,350,982 Borst ------------------ June 13, 1944
nitrogen, said organic nitrogen avoiding fast assimilation
of nitrogen.