ZIF-8 Frameworks as Potential Controlled-Release Urea Fertilizers: Experimental and Computational Insights

Taş R., Topuz B., Kayi H.

ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1-14, 2026 (ESCI)

Özet

Designing functional materials with controlled nutrient release capabilities is desirable for sustainable agriculture. Here, urea loading into Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. ZIF-8 was used to enhance the efficient utilization of urea, the most common form of the nitrogen containing fertilizers, to provide the nitrogen necessary for plant growth and to enable controlled release of nitrogen. Urea was incorporated into the ZIF-8 structure by two different methods, encapsulation and adsorption at amounts of 3468 and 1110 mg/g, respectively. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) results revealed the theoretical adsorption capacity to be 1206 mg/g, which is in line with the experimental adsorption capacity of 1110 mg/g. The release behavior of urea was investigated at pH values of 5.5 and 7.0. After 24 h, cumulative urea release from the adsorption-loaded and encapsulation-loaded samples reached 58.25 and 49.89% at pH 5.5, respectively, while at pH 7.0, the corresponding values were 36.86 and 35% indicating faster release under acidic conditions. XRD and SEM analyses performed after 24 h of release confirmed that the crystal structure of ZIF-8 remained intact. Overall, our findings indicate that ZIF-8-based frameworks can serve as an effective platform for the controlled release and efficient delivery of urea, highlighting the potential of MOF-based materials for sustainable agricultural applications.