Volatility-inhibited fertilizers are prepared by coating granular urea with
a coating that includes a binding agent having a boron anion and a
hydrogen bonding group to adhere the binding agent to the granular urea.
The binding agent may be an amino alcohol borate in which the amino
alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethanolamine,
diethanolamine, triethanolamine, and mixtures thereof, or a borate of an
amino alcohol complex of a divalent metal. The borates are preferably
prepared as an aqueous solution of the amino alcohol and boric acid, or
the amino alcohol, a divalent metal salt, and boric acid, with the aqueous
solution being applied to the urea granules. Additional plant nutrients
may also be coated onto the urea granules.
