Biostimulant Concentrate Stabilization with Nanoparticles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biostimulants derived from fermentation products face issues such as settling, microbial contamination, pH instability, high water content leading to transportation and storage challenges, and batch-to-batch variability, which affect their efficacy and shelf life, and often require strong acids for stabilization.
Innovation Solution
A stable Emulsion in Water (EW) or Aqueous Solution formulation of Triacontanol 20% TC and Brassinolide 60-90% TC, using a non-ionic surfactant like Tween 80 and nano silver/nano copper for stabilization, eliminating the need for strong acids and optimizing the triacontanol to brassinolide ratio for enhanced crop yield and reduced application rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fermentation product suspensions are used as biostimulants, then they provide natural growth stimulation, but they are prone to settling and require agitation prior to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the biostimulant from a suspension to a true solution by dissolving fermentation products in water. This parameter change eliminates particle settling while maintaining bioactivity, ensuring consistent dispersion without requiring agitation before use.
2Reliability
If pH is adjusted to 3.5-4 to minimize microbial growth, then microbial contamination is reduced, but pH changes when exposed to heat and ambient air causing product destabilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nano silver and nano copper particles that inherently possess antimicrobial properties. These nanoparticles self-service by continuously inhibiting microbial growth without requiring pH adjustment, thereby maintaining both microbial stability and pH stability simultaneously.
3Reliability
If strong acids are added to stabilize pH and inhibit microbial contamination, then microbial growth is inhibited, but product destabilization including color change, odor change, and reduced efficacy occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces nano silver and nano copper nanoparticles as intermediary substances that provide microbial inhibition without the harmful effects of strong acids. These nanoparticles act as a mediator that achieves antimicrobial stability while preserving product quality attributes such as color, odor, and efficacy.
4Reliability
If biostimulants are produced by yeast fermentation, then they contain natural growth stimulators, but genetic drift and substrate variation alter products impacting quality consistency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial active ingredients from fermented substrates and dissolves them in water to create a standardized solution. This extraction process separates the active growth-stimulating components from the variable fermentation matrix, ensuring consistent quality across batches while retaining natural growth stimulation.
5Ease of operation
If biostimulants contain high concentrations of water, then they are easier to apply, but they are heavy and bulky increasing shipping and storage costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter by creating highly concentrated stock solutions that can be stored and shipped in minimal volumes. These concentrated solutions maintain water-solubility for easy application but reduce weight and volume during transportation and storage, lowering logistics costs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The formulation, known as Bio Shot, provides consistent and concentrated biostimulant solutions that are stable over varying temperatures, inhibit microbial growth, and achieve significant increases in crop yields with reduced application rates, improving handling and storage efficiency while maintaining efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention is an Emulsion in Water (EW) or Aqueous Solution formulated from Triacontanol 20% TC and Brassinolide 60-90% TC
Implementation Method 2
A non-ionic surfactant derived from sorbitan esters, such as Tween 80, which is a registered trademark of Croda Americas, Inc. The surfactant is used as an emulsifier and solubilizer
Implementation Method 3
Nano silver and nano copper are used to preserve the present invention by inhibiting microbial growth, and thus being effective stabilizers
Data Source
AI summary
A biostimulant concentrate for direct application to agricultural crops comprising purified water and a solubilizer, triacontanol in a concentration of between 500-4000 milligrams per liter (mg/l), brassinolide in a concentration of between 30-120 milligrams per liter (mg/l), and a stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of nano silver, nano copper, and combinations thereof.