公开(公告)号：US20190055470A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-21

申请号：US16078758

申请日：2017-03-21

Applicant: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION

Inventor： Priscilla JOHNSTON ,  Raju ADHIKARI ,  Keith L. BRISTOW

IPC: C09K17/30 ,  C09K17/52

Abstract: A process for regulating the water retention of soil materials used in agriculture involving providing a composition comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of a urethane, a urethaneurea, a thiocarbamate and mixtures thereof, said polymer comprising hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments; and applying the composition onto soil materials used in agriculture to form a polymer film thereon, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments together provide reversible hydrophobic-hydrophilic switching in response to water, such that the film surface switches from a relatively hydrophobic state in dry conditions to a relatively hydrophilic state in response to the presence of water in contact with the film surface.