Fatty Acid Plant Protection Composition with Water Softener
Solution Overview
Problem
Fatty acid-based plant protection compositions face challenges with water hardness, leading to reduced efficacy, residue formation, and clogged equipment during spray application, and there is a need for improved spectrum of action, safety, selectivity, and resistance management.
Innovation Solution
A composition combining fatty acids or their derivatives with a water-based liquid containing (1-hydroxyethylidene)bisphosphonic acid or ethylene diamine tetraacetate as a water softener, which improves the formulation's stability and application properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fatty acid-based plant protection compositions are diluted with water for spray application, then the composition can be applied to plants, but water hardness causes reduced efficacy, residue formation, and equipment blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces water softeners (chelating agents such as EDTA, NTA, or phosphonates) as intermediary substances that mediate between the fatty acid-based plant protection composition and hard water. These water softeners chelate calcium and magnesium ions in hard water, preventing them from interacting with the fatty acid active ingredients, thereby eliminating the negative effects of water hardness on efficacy and equipment while maintaining spray application feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the spray mixture by adding specific water softeners with chelating properties. This parameter change (adding chelating agents) transforms the interaction between fatty acids and hard water ions, preventing precipitation and equipment blockage while maintaining the bioactivity of the plant protection composition
2Reliability
If water softeners are added to maintain efficacy, then spray application reliability improves, but the composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of water softeners in the formulation, specifying that they should be present at 0.01-5% by weight. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient chelating capacity to handle hard water while minimizing the amount of additional substance required, thus improving reliability without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent selects water softeners that can be easily incorporated and do not require complex stabilization or long-term storage considerations. The water softeners perform their chelating function during the spray application process and do not need to maintain structural integrity over extended periods, simplifying the overall composition requirements
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 solution enhances the stability and efficacy of fatty acid-based plant protection products by addressing water hardness issues, preventing residue formation and equipment blockages, while maintaining insecticidal and fungicidal activity.
Implementation Method 1
A water softener is an agent able to chelate alkali, metallic and/or earth alkali ions causing water hardiness
Implementation Method 2
Mixing the compounds/compositions according to (a) and (b) to form an emulsion
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a composition comprising (a) one or more fatty acids or derivatives thereof selected from unsaturated and saturated C12-24 fatty acids, salts thereof, esters thereof or mixtures of any of the foregoing; and (b) a water-based liquid comprising at least one water softener selected from the group consisting of (1-hydroxyethylidene)bisphosphonic acid or a salt thereof and ethylene diamine tetraacetate or a salt thereof as well as methods and use thereof.