Low Foam Surfactant Composition for Agricultural Applications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional silicone surfactants often produce excessive and persistent foam in agricultural applications, which is difficult to control with conventional foam control agents, necessitating a low-foam alternative.

Innovation Solution

A surfactant composition comprising a mixture of di-trisiloxane alkoxylate and mono-trisiloxane alkoxylate, specifically formulated to reduce foaming and enhance spreadability, where the di-trisiloxane alkoxylate is soluble in mono-trisiloxane alkoxylate, offering improved foam-reduction properties and compatibility compared to conventional polydimethylsiloxane-based agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional silicone surfactants are used, then spreadability is improved, but excessive and persistent foam is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovespreadabilityVSAvoidfoam generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by using di-trisiloxane alkoxylate with specific molecular structure (formula I) containing polyalkyleneoxide groups, which fundamentally alters the foam-reduction properties while maintaining spreadability. This parameter change transforms the surfactant from high-foaming to low-foaming behavior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite surfactant system by combining di-trisiloxane alkoxylate (component a) with mono-trisiloxane alkoxylate (component b), where the di-trisiloxane component provides foam reduction and the mono-trisiloxane component provides spreadability, achieving both functions simultaneously in a composite material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional foam control agents are used, then foam is suppressed, but the foam is persistent and difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoam controlVSAvoidfoam control effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the foam-reducing function from separate foam control agents and integrates it into the surfactant molecule itself through the di-trisiloxane alkoxylate component, eliminating the need for additional foam control chemicals and providing inherent foam control within the surfactant.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If di-trisiloxane alkoxylate is added to reduce foam, then foam-reduction properties are improved, but compatibility with conventional agents decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefoam reductionVSAvoidcompatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the molecular structure parameters of di-trisiloxane alkoxylate, specifically the polyalkyleneoxide group composition (b, c, d values) and hydrocarbon radical types, to achieve both foam reduction and compatibility with conventional surfactants and agrochemicals in the same system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10617118B2Low foam surfactant composition and methods of making the same

Publication Date: 2020.04.14 CITIBANK N A AS ADMINISTATIVE AGENT

AI summary

There is provided herein a low foam surfactant composition comprising:(a) di-trisiloxane alkoxylate component of the general formula (I):(R1R2R3SiO)2(R4)Si—R5—Si(R6)(OSiR7R8R9)2 (I);and,(b) mono-trisiloxane alkoxylate component of the general formula (II):(R12R13R14SiO)2Si(R15)R16 (II)wherein di-trisiloxane alkoxylate (I) is soluble in mono-trisiloxane alkoxylate and methods of making the same.