Copper Hydroxide Bicarbonate Complexes for Fungicidal Ion Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crop protection agents with copper-based fungicides face limitations in achieving high availability of free copper ions, which is crucial for effective fungicidal activity, often requiring acidification to enhance ion availability.
Innovation Solution
A combination of copper hydroxide with potassium or sodium bicarbonate, forming aquo-carbonato complexes that increase the solubility and release of free, fungicidally active copper ions, utilizing docusate sodium and sodium dodecyl sulfate as wetting agents to enhance the synergistic effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper hydroxide is used as a fungicidal agent, then fungicidal activity is provided, but availability of free copper ions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Bicarbonate ions serve as an intermediary that facilitates the release of copper ions from copper hydroxide through complex formation. The bicarbonate forms aquo-carbonatato complexes with copper, which increases the solubility product and enables greater release of free copper ions without requiring acidification.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the spray solution by introducing bicarbonate ions, which alter the equilibrium conditions for copper ion release. This parameter change (addition of bicarbonate) shifts the solubility equilibrium to favor greater copper ion availability while maintaining a neutral to slightly alkaline pH.
2Quantity of substance
If acidification is applied to enhance copper ion availability, then free copper ion availability increases, but plant safety is compromised due to phytotoxic effects
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing pH through acidification, the invention changes the chemical environment by adding bicarbonate ions. This alternative parameter change achieves increased copper ion availability through complex formation while maintaining pH levels that prevent phytotoxicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Bicarbonate acts as a mediator that enables copper ion release without the need for acidification. The bicarbonate-copper complexes serve as an intermediate pathway that decouples copper ion availability from pH reduction, thereby avoiding phytotoxic effects.
3Quantity of substance
If copper salt solubility is increased, then fungicidal efficacy is improved, but control over copper ion release becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Bicarbonate ions serve as a controllable intermediary that regulates copper ion release through reversible complex formation. The equilibrium between bicarbonate-copper complexes and free copper ions can be controlled by adjusting bicarbonate concentration, providing a buffer system that maintains copper availability while preventing excessive release that would cause phytotoxicity.
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
This combination significantly improves fungicidal efficacy while maintaining plant safety by optimizing copper ion availability and solubility, preventing phytotoxic effects, and demonstrating a clear synergistic effect in various copper formulations.
Implementation Method 1
the formation of intermediate carbonato-copper complexes with a hydrogen carbonate before it is fixed as basic copper carbonate
Implementation Method 2
the presence of dissolved bicarbonate ions and the associated formation of the aforementioned complex structures leads to an increase in the solubility product of the copper component used, and thus to an increased release of free, fungicidal Cu-ions
Implementation Method 3
the effectiveness can be improved by adding at least one wetting agent. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and/or docusate sodium, for example, can be used as wetting agents
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a preparation for use as a plant protection agent, wherein at least one copper-containing component and at least one alkaline and/or bicarbonate-ion liberating component is contained. The preparation can be used in particular as a fungicide and also preferably as a liquid preparation based on water or as a tank mixture or as a ready-to-use preparation, preferably in the form of powder or granules.