Reactive Mechanosynthesis of Urea Ionic Cocrystal Fertilizer Materials from Abundant Low Solubility Magnesium- and Calcium-Containing Minerals

Urea is a predominantly used nitrogen fertilizer that is unstable in the environment, quickly hydrolyzing and significantly contributing to the global nitrogen cycle disbalance. We demonstrate the application of mechanochemistry to conduct the synthesis of magnesium-urea and calcium-urea ionic cocrystals, including their nitrates, sulfates, and phosphates, in high yields by stoichiometric reactions between abundant low solubility minerals such as oxides, carbonates, and hydroxides and solid urea inorganic acids. The resulting materials possess unique properties inherited from the corresponding inorganic reactants that result in urea stabilization with respect to its deliquescence in moist environments.