Technical-grade urea is a high-purity (46% N) form of urea used extensively in industrial applications, available in two common forms: prilled and granular. Prilled urea consists of small, spherical pellets created by spraying molten urea into a cooling tower, making it easier to handle and dissolve due to its lower density. Granular urea, produced by compressing urea into larger granules, has a higher density and is often preferred for applications requiring slower release rates, such as certain fertilizers. This form is highly versatile and is utilised across multiple industries for its unique properties.
In agriculture, urea serves as a key nitrogen fertiliser with a high nitrogen content (46%), essential for enhancing crop yields. It also plays a critical role in chemical production as a raw material for products like melamine, used in plastics and laminates. Additionally, urea is crucial in the manufacture of urea-formaldehyde resins for adhesives and particleboard, supports pharmaceutical synthesis and compound stabilisation, and serves as a non-protein nitrogen source in animal feed for improving ruminant protein synthesis. One of the growing consumptions of urea is being observed in the manufacturing of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (AdBlue).
These diverse applications make technical-grade urea indispensable in sectors ranging from agriculture to chemical manufacturing.