Synthesis Bioplastic Fertilizer of Carboxymethyl Cellulose/N-P-K/Zeolite Using Twin-Screw Extruder as a Model Slow-Release

A bioplastic fertilizer (BpF) from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/N-P-K/Zeolite composite has been successfully synthesized at the various amounts of zeolite using extrusion techniques (Twin-screw Extruder). The zeolites content was varied at 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 (wt.% to CMC). The temperature and screw speed were kept at 100 °C and 600 rpm. The ingredients of the composite are mixed with 100% water added to the total mass. A BpF composites and prepared materials were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, and UTM (Universal testing machine). Also, the swelling ratio and stability in water behavior of the composites was evaluated. The result showed that the addition of zeolite increased their tensile strength, decreased the swelling ratio, and has a good stability in water for 30 days. The release of N and P nutrients form composite followed the pseudo second-order kinetic models, while the release K followed the Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic models. The release of N-P-K from CMC/N-P-K/Zeolite (1 wt.%) composite has followed the standards of the Committee of European Normalization (CEN) and this formulation is potentially to be used in agriculture as a slow-release fertilizer.