Epoxidized Oil-Based Surfactant for High-Load Glyphosate Formulations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glyphosate formulations require surfactants that enhance herbicidal efficacy while minimizing eye irritation and aquatic toxicity, and there is a need for formulations that allow for high glyphosate loadings without these drawbacks.
Innovation Solution
Development of an epoxidized oil-based surfactant, formed by reacting epoxidized compounds such as epoxidized oil, fatty acid, or fatty acid ester with primary and/or secondary alkanolamines, which can be used in herbicidal compositions to enhance glyphosate bioefficacy and allow for ultrahigh loadings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alkylamine based surfactants are used to enhance glyphosate bioefficacy, then herbicidal performance is improved, but eye irritation potential increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the surfactant by using epoxidized compounds (such as epoxidized soybean oil) instead of traditional alkylamines. This parameter change maintains the surfactant's ability to enhance glyphosate bioefficacy while fundamentally altering its toxicological profile to reduce eye irritation and aquatic toxicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite surfactant system by reacting epoxidized compounds with alkanolamines to form epoxidized oil-based surfactants. This composite material combines the bioefficacy-enhancing properties needed for glyphosate with the low-toxicity characteristics of epoxidized oils, resolving the contradiction between efficacy and safety.
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 substituting traditional alkylamine surfactants with epoxidized oil-based surfactants. This parameter change maintains the surfactant's effectiveness in enhancing glyphosate bioefficacy while fundamentally altering its environmental profile to reduce aquatic toxicity.
3Quantity of substance
If high concentrations of surfactant are used to maximize glyphosate loading, then formulation stability is improved, but toxicity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surfactant's chemical parameters by using epoxidized compounds with inherently lower toxicity. This allows the formulation to achieve high glyphosate loadings (up to 540 g a.e./L) while maintaining lower overall toxicity compared to conventional surfactant systems.
4Reliability
If tallowamine ethoxylate is used as surfactant in glyphosate formulations, then bioefficacy is excellent, but regulatory concerns about human and environmental safety persist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a new composite surfactant material by reacting epoxidized compounds with alkanolamines. This epoxidized oil-based surfactant combines the bioefficacy-enhancing capabilities needed for effective glyphosate formulations with improved human and environmental safety profiles, addressing regulatory concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses naturally derived epoxidized oils (such as epoxidized soybean oil) as the base material, replacing petroleum-based or animal-derived tallowamine ethoxylate. This substitution provides a renewable, biodegradable alternative that maintains effectiveness while improving safety and regulatory acceptance.
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 epoxidized oil-based surfactant provides effective herbicidal performance with low eye irritation and aquatic toxicity, enabling stable glyphosate loadings up to 540 g a.e./L, surpassing conventional limits.
Implementation Method 1
an epoxidized oil-based surfactant that is the reaction product of an epoxidized compound and a primary and/or secondary alkanolamine
Data Source
AI summary
An epoxidized oil-based surfactant is the reaction product of an epoxidized compound and a primary and/or secondary alkanolamine, wherein the epoxidized compound is chosen from an epoxidized oil, an epoxidized fatty acid, an epoxidized fatty acid ester, and combinations thereof. An herbicidal composition includes glyphosate or a salt thereof and at least one epoxidized oil-based surfactant. The herbicidal composition is used in a method of controlling unwanted vegetation wherein the method includes the step of applying to the unwanted vegetation a herbicidally effective amount of the aforementioned herbicidal composition. The epoxidized oil-based surfactant is prepared using a method that includes reacting the epoxidized compound and the primary and/or secondary alkanolamine. The epoxidized oil-based surfactant is also utilized in a cleaning composition for the cleaning of hard surfaces, wherein the cleaning composition includes the epoxidized oil-based surfactant and an additional component chosen from an additional surfactant and/or a chelating agent.