Development of Polyethylene Oxide/Sodium Alginate‐Based Electrospun Fibrous Networks for Dual Nutrient Release: Toward Sustainable Agrochemical Carriers

ABSTRACT The ever‐increasing global demand for crop production has intensified the need for sustainable solutions that not only minimize the environmental impact of agrochemical use but also utilize renewable and biodegradable carriers, thereby addressing the dual challenges of agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. Thus, the present work deals with fabricating urea and phosphate‐loaded polyethylene oxide and sodium alginate‐based electrospun mat (EM), followed by their UV and CaCl 2 ‐assisted crosslinking for sustainable controlled release fertilizer carriers. FESEM analysis showed that pristine EM was uniform and bead‐free (fiber diameter ~266 nm), while crosslinking and nutrient loading not only created a fused, interconnected morphology but also increased hydrophobicity (from ~52° to ~83°) through chemical bonding and crosslinking networks. The EM exhibited excellent water absorption (~67%) and demonstrated remarkable retention capacity up to ~13 days. Release kinetic analysis of urea and phosphate (~98%) from pristine and nutrient‐loaded EM indicated that the release followed the Higuchi and Korsmeyer‐Peppas models (with R 2 ~0.95–0.98). The degradation study in soil suggested slow weight loss (~79%) up to ~70 days for both the crosslinked and nutrient‐loaded EM, indicating prospects as a controlled‐release fertilizers system with an enhanced extent of release modulation. Hence, the development of such fibrous frameworks for controlled/slow‐release agrochemical carriers may pave the way for a paradigm shift from conventional farming practices to resilient, smart, and organically engineered agro‐systems.