COTE-Based Surfactants for Ultrahigh Glyphosate Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glyphosate herbicide formulations face challenges in finding surfactants that enhance bioefficacy while minimizing eye irritation and aquatic toxicity, and they often have limitations in glyphosate loading capacity.
Innovation Solution
Development of surfactant compounds derived from castor oil triglycidyl ether (COTE) reacted with primary and/or secondary amines, which provide high glyphosate loading capabilities while being non-toxic and safe for both terrestrial and aquatic life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alkylamine based surfactants are used to enhance glyphosate bioefficacy, then herbicidal efficacy is improved, but eye irritation potential increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the surfactant by using castor oil triglycidyl ether (COTE) as a base instead of alkylamines, while maintaining the surfactant functionality. This structural parameter change achieves both high bioefficacy enhancement and reduced eye irritation, resolving the contradiction between efficacy and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful alkylamine-based surfactants into beneficial COTE-based surfactants that provide the same or better bioefficacy enhancement without the harmful eye irritation effects. The harmful component is replaced with a safer alternative that maintains or improves performance.
2Reliability
If conventional surfactants are used in glyphosate formulations, then bioefficacy is enhanced, but aquatic toxicity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using COTE-based surfactants with specific molecular structures that provide effective bioefficacy enhancement while exhibiting lower aquatic toxicity compared to conventional surfactants like TAEO. This resolves the contradiction between achieving high bioefficacy and minimizing environmental harm.
3Reliability
If tallowamine ethoxylate (TAEO) is used to achieve excellent bioefficacy, then herbicidal performance is improved, but formulation loading capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surfactant type from TAEO to COTE-based surfactants, which have different solubility and compatibility parameters. This allows for higher glyphosate loading capacities in the formulation while maintaining excellent bioefficacy, as the COTE-based surfactants can support ultrahigh loadings of glyphosate salt.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a surfactant with low eye irritation and aquatic toxicity is selected, then safety is improved, but bioefficacy enhancement may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies and applies parameter changes in surfactant chemistry by using COTE-based surfactants with specific molecular structures that simultaneously achieve both safety (low eye irritation and aquatic toxicity) and high bioefficacy enhancement. This breaks the traditional trade-off by finding a surfactant class that excels in both aspects.
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 COTE-based surfactants achieve ultrahigh glyphosate loadings of up to 540 g/L, maintaining bioefficacy while reducing eye irritation and aquatic toxicity, offering a safer and more effective herbicidal composition.
Implementation Method 1
Glyphosate salts generally require the presence of a suitable surfactant to improve bioefficacy and enhance overall herbicidal performance
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to herbicidal compositions, and more particularly, herbicidal compositions comprising glyphosate or a salt thereof and a surfactant comprising at least one castor oil triglycidyl ether-based (“COTE-based”) adjuvant.