A TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers/MOFs hydrogel with temperature and pH responsiveness for fertilizers slow-release

In this work, a kind of MOF MIL-100(Fe)@CNFs hydrogel (MC) based on TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) for fertilizers slow-release was prepared by free-radical polymerization, where N-vinyl caprolactam (NVCL) and CNFs were involved to exhibit temperature and pH response, respectively. Particularly, porous MIL-100(Fe), a kind of metal organic frameworks (MOFs), was introduced to optimize the load and slow-release capabilities. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize. The swelling behaviors and water-retention capabilities of hydrogels were evaluated. Using urea as the model fertilizer, the slow-release mechanism was revealed. Wheat was used as the model crop to evaluate the practical growth status. Compared with MC-0% hydrogels, the MC-10% hydrogels exhibited a better swelling capacity (37 g/g), water-retention (22.78%) and slow-release performance (40.84%). It also exhibited sensitivities to temperature and pH for regulating urea release. Besides, the number of tillers and leaves of wheat fertilized with MC hydrogels significantly increased, as did the photosynthetic rate. In conclusion, the MC-0% hydrogels had a positive influence on crops growth, and promoted the possible utilization of hydrogels in slow-release fertilizers.