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Urea Types Guide: Classified by Use and Form

Urea (CO(NH₂)₂) is one of the most widely used nitrogen-based compounds in the global market. It plays a critical role not only in modern agriculture, but also in industrial manufacturing, environmental protection, and automotive emission control systems.

Rather than being a single standardized product, urea exists as a highly diversified material system. Based on application requirements, physical form, nitrogen release behavior, and modification technology, different urea types are designed to meet very specific performance and regulatory demands.

As a professional supplier and solution-oriented brand, Terafon focuses on delivering application-specific urea products that align with efficiency, sustainability, and international quality standards. This guide provides a clear, professional, and comprehensive overview of urea classifications, helping professionals make informed decision-making choices.

1. What Is Urea?

Urea is a high-nitrogen organic compound with a theoretical nitrogen content of approximately 46%, making it one of the most concentrated and cost-efficient solid nitrogen sources available.

Industrial Production

Commercial urea is synthesized by reacting ammonia (NH₃) with carbon dioxide (CO₂) under high pressure and temperature. After synthesis, molten urea is processed into different physical forms—such as prills, granules, powder, or liquid solutions—depending on downstream application requirements.

Core Advantages

Extremely high nitrogen concentration
Excellent solubility in water
Broad compatibility with agricultural, industrial, and environmental systems

These properties make urea a foundational product in both bulk commodity markets and high-performance specialty applications.

2. Overview of Urea Classification

From a professional and commercial perspective, urea is best understood through a four-dimensional classification framework:

Application / Grade (end-use driven)
Physical Form (handling and application driven)
Nitrogen Release Profile (efficiency driven)
Modification Technology (performance and sustainability driven)

This matrix-style classification is widely used by manufacturers, agronomists, and procurement specialists—including companies like Terafon—to design, specify, and select the most suitable urea solution for each use case.

3. Urea Types by Application

Application Type	Key Characteristics	Typical Uses
Agricultural Grade Urea	~46% nitrogen, cost-effective, widely available	Field crops, vegetables, plantations, compound fertilizer production
Industrial Grade Urea	High purity, controlled biuret and impurity levels	Resins, adhesives, plastics, melamine production
Feed Grade Urea	Non-protein nitrogen source, regulated safety standards	Ruminant feed formulations
Automotive Urea (AUS32 / DEF / AdBlue)	32.5% high-purity urea solution, ISO-compliant	SCR systems for diesel exhaust NOx reduction
Pharmaceutical Grade Urea	Ultra-high purity, strict impurity control	Medical formulations, dermatological products
Electronic Grade Urea	Extremely low metal ions and contaminants	Electronics, fine chemicals, semiconductor processes
Coated / Controlled-Release Agricultural Urea	Polymer- or sulfur-coated, enhanced nitrogen efficiency	High-value crops, horticulture, precision agriculture

Including coated and controlled-release urea within application-based classification highlights its growing importance in high-efficiency and sustainable agriculture, a segment increasingly emphasized by innovative suppliers such as Terafon.

4. Urea Types by Physical Form

Physical Form	Key Characteristics	Typical Applications
Prills	Small spherical particles, fast dissolution, economical	Conventional agriculture, blending
Granules	Larger, harder particles, excellent flowability	Mechanized spreading, bulk transport, export markets
Powder / Crystalline Urea	Fine particle size, rapid solubility	Industrial processing, solution preparation
Liquid Urea	Fully dissolved in water	Foliar application, fertigation, hydroponics
UAN Solution	Urea–ammonium nitrate liquid blend	Precision farming, liquid fertilizer systems

The choice of physical form directly affects storage stability, application method, dissolution rate, and logistical efficiency.

5. Urea Types by Nitrogen Release Profile

Nitrogen release behavior is a key performance parameter, especially in agriculture:

Instant (Conventional) Urea
Releases nitrogen rapidly after application. Suitable for quick nutrient correction but more susceptible to volatilization and leaching losses.
Slow-Release Urea
Nitrogen availability is delayed through physical or chemical treatment, improving nitrogen use efficiency and reducing environmental losses.
Controlled-Release Urea
Designed to release nitrogen at a predictable rate over weeks or months, aligning nutrient supply with crop uptake patterns.

6. Urea Types by Modification Technology

To enhance performance and sustainability, urea may be modified using advanced technologies:

Coated Urea
Sulfur-coated or polymer-coated urea regulates water penetration and nutrient diffusion.
Urease Inhibitor Urea
Additives such as NBPT slow urea hydrolysis, significantly reducing ammonia volatilization.
Nitrification Inhibitor Urea
Inhibitors like DCD or DMPP slow ammonium-to-nitrate conversion, reducing leaching and denitrification losses.
Environment-Responsive (Smart) Urea
Advanced formulations that respond to temperature or moisture conditions, representing the future of precision fertilization.

7. Comparative Technical Insights

By analyzing urea through these four dimensions, users can better align performance expectations, regulatory compliance, and cost efficiency. Leading suppliers such as Terafon increasingly integrate release control and modification technologies to meet modern agricultural and industrial demands.

8. How to Choose the Right Urea Type

Large-scale field crops: Agricultural granules or prills
High-value crops and horticulture: Coated or controlled-release urea
Industrial processing: High-purity industrial-grade powder or crystals
Diesel SCR systems: ISO-compliant AUS32 / DEF solutions
Precision agriculture: Liquid urea or UAN for fertigation systems

Proper selection based on classification ensures maximum nitrogen efficiency, lower environmental impact, and optimized operating costs.

9. Conclusion

Urea is not a single commodity, but a multi-dimensional product system defined by application, physical form, release profile, and modification technology.

A systematic understanding of urea types enables scientific decision-making, improved efficiency, and sustainable nutrient management. With a strong focus on quality, performance, and application-driven solutions, Terafon continues to support global customers across agriculture, industry, and environmental sectors.

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