Preliminary Study of Preparation and Properties of Activated K-Feldspar-Filled Hydrogel Materials

This study preliminarily evaluated water absorbency and potassium release property of a novel hybrid hydrogel material as a potential hydrogel K-fertilizer. This hybrid hydrogel material was prepared by introducing activated K-feldspar powder into starch-graft-PAA hydrogel networks via aqueous solution polymerization. The mineral phases were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and the water absorbencies of the hybrid hydrogel along with potassium release property were preliminarily studied. The results indicate that the optimum extraction rate of potassium is 92.14% using the additive of NaCl at 950°C and 2h. The hydrogel was prepared at the amount of starch, cross-linker, initiator, and neutralization degree were 20%, 0.04%, 0.6%, and 80%, respectively. The hybrid hydrogel was synthesized by mixing hydrogel with activated powders. The results show the water absorbency of the hybrid hydrogel is 169g/g and the potassium ion release percentage is 8.0% of activated powder per gram.