Electrostatic spray-dried lignin-polysaccharide composite microspheres

Overview

The electrostatic spray-dried lignin-polysaccharide composite microspheres represent an innovative approach to sustainable agriculture. This technology provides a non-coating route for fertilizer production by integrating nutrients directly into a lignin-polysaccharide matrix. Utilizing electrostatic spray drying (ESD), this process forms dense microspheres that control nutrient release through internal phase separation and ionic binding sites. This method avoids traditional solvent-intensive coating processes, offering a scalable and environmentally friendly solution.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Single-step production: Combines lignin derivatives and chitosan/alginate fragments with nutrients under mild electric fields to form composite microspheres.
• Controlled release: The internal structure of the microspheres creates tortuous pathways and binding sites, tuning nutrient release rates without external coatings.
• Versatile application: Compatible with various nutrient sources and additives like clay or biochar to adjust release properties.
• Sustainable process: Operates at mild temperatures using bio-based inputs, avoiding hazardous chemicals.

Technology readiness level

This technology is currently at TRL 4, indicating that it has been validated at the bench scale with ongoing efforts to optimize and characterize the process. Future plans include further validation in soil simulants, performance comparisons with commercial products, and scaling up to pilot-scale manufacture.