Ester Solvent Agricultural Formulation Low Toxicity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural chemical formulations face challenges in achieving low toxicity, flammability, and odor while maintaining good solvating power and water resistance, as existing solvents often have high toxicity, flammability, or limited solvating power and are expensive to purify.
Innovation Solution
The use of ester solvents with the general formula CO(ORa)(Rb), where Ra is a linear or branched alkyl group of one to eight carbon atoms and Rb is an aromatic group, such as butyl benzoate, to dissolve active agricultural components, resulting in formulations with improved deliverability, low bio-accumulation, and high flash points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If organic solvents are used to dissolve agricultural active components, then solvating power is improved, but toxicity and flammability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the solvent system by using esters of dicarboxylic acids (particularly dimethyl esters of C8-C16 dicarboxylic acids) instead of conventional organic solvents. This parameter change maintains solvating power while reducing toxicity and flammability, as these ester solvents have higher flash points and lower acute toxicity compared to traditional solvents like alkyl benzenes or fuel oils.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite solvent systems combining multiple ester components (dimethyl esters of dicarboxylic acids with C8-C16 carbon chains) to achieve optimal balance between solvating power, low toxicity, and reduced flammability. The composite nature of these mixed ester formulations allows tuning of properties to simultaneously satisfy multiple contradictory requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If solvents with reduced toxicity are used, then safety is improved, but solvating power decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves reduced toxicity while maintaining solvating power by changing to ester solvents with specific molecular structures (dimethyl esters of C8-C16 dicarboxylic acids). The ester functional group and specific carbon chain lengths provide both low toxicity and adequate solvating capability for agricultural active ingredients, resolving the trade-off between safety and effectiveness.
3Strength
If solvents with good solvating power are used, then dissolution efficiency is improved, but water solubility increases leading to ground water contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the solvent parameters by using esters of dicarboxylic acids with C8-C16 carbon chains, which have balanced properties: sufficient solvating power for agricultural actives while maintaining low water solubility. The specific molecular structure (ester groups with moderate to long hydrocarbon chains) provides hydrophobic character that prevents excessive water solubility and ground water contamination.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional organic solvents are used, then formulation cost is reduced, but odor and toxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent parameter from conventional organic solvents to dimethyl esters of C8-C16 dicarboxylic acids, which offer a favorable balance between cost and reduced harmful effects. These ester solvents have lower odor and toxicity while remaining cost-effective for agricultural formulation manufacturing, addressing both economic and environmental concerns.
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 ester-based formulations provide effective delivery of active components with low toxicity, flammability, and odor, while maintaining good solvating power and biodegradability, and prevent decay in concentration when dispersed in water emulsions, ensuring efficient crop management and equipment safety.
Implementation Method 1
dissolving an active agricultural component comprising one or more compounds from the group consisting of pyrethroids, mitose inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen-IX oxidase inhibitors, bleacher herbicides, triazoles, METI compounds, photosynthesis inhibitors, insecticides, nicotinic receptor agonist/antagonist compounds, fungicides, strobilurins, carboxanilides, ALS inhibitors, plant growth regulators, molluscides, nematocides, acaricides, and combinations thereof in a solvent mixture comprising one or more compounds having the general formula CO(ORa)(Rb)
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural chemical composition comprises a solvent having the general formula CO(ORa)(Rb), wherein Ra is a linear or branched alkyl group of one to eight carbon atoms and Rb is an aromatic group. Active agricultural components are dissolved in the solvent to produce a solution usable for distributing the active components.