Low-Foaming Alkyl Ether Sulfate Formulations for Crop Sprays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agrochemical formulations, particularly those containing glufosinate, suffer from unfavorable foaming behavior when diluted with water, leading to equipment overflow, environmental pollution, and irregular spray coatings, which is exacerbated by the limitations of fluorine-containing defoamers and the need for alternative solutions that maintain biological effectiveness and storage stability.
Innovation Solution
The development of low-foaming formulations incorporating alkyl ether sulfates with 1 to 9 carbon atoms and 1 to 20 alkylenoxy units, combined with anionic, nonionic, cationic, and zwitterionic surfactants, which enhance the biological effectiveness of agrochemicals like glufosinate while reducing foaming tendencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If C 12-C 16 alkyl ether sulfates are used to enhance biological effect, then spray adhesion and spreading on target plants are improved, but foaming behavior deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of alkyl chain length in alkyl ether sulfates from the conventional C12-C16 range to C1-C9 range. This parameter change reduces the foaming tendency while maintaining the surfactant properties necessary for spray adhesion and spreading on target plants, thus resolving the contradiction between improved spray performance and reduced foaming.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If fluorine-containing defoamers are added to reduce foaming, then foaming is controlled, but environmental contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates fluorine-containing defoamers from the formulation by using shorter-chain alkyl ether sulfates (C1-C9) that inherently produce less foam. This removes the harmful fluorinated substances from the system while still achieving adequate foaming control, thus resolving the contradiction between foaming management and environmental protection.
3Reliability
If alkyl ether sulfates with C 12-C 16 chains are used, then biological effectiveness is enhanced, but foaming during application worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the alkyl chain length parameter from C12-C16 to C1-C9 in the alkyl ether sulfate structure. This modification maintains the surfactant's ability to enhance biological effectiveness through improved spray adhesion and spreading, while simultaneously reducing the foaming tendency during application.
4Device complexity
If conventional alkyl ether sulfates are used without defoamers, then formulation simplicity is maintained, but equipment overflow and irregular spray coatings occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the alkyl chain length parameter to C1-C9, which inherently reduces foaming. This eliminates the need for additional defoamer additives, maintaining formulation simplicity while preventing equipment overflow and ensuring uniform spray coatings through reduced foam formation.
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 formulations achieve stable storage and high biological effectiveness with reduced foaming, allowing for efficient application and absorption of agrochemicals, thereby improving crop protection without environmental contamination.
Implementation Method 1
alkyl ether sulfates with 1 to 9 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and with 1 to 20 alkylenoxy units in the ether part... suitable for enhancing the biological effect of glufosinate when applied to the green parts of plants
Implementation Method 2
the formulations exhibit unfavorable foaming behavior when diluted with water before application and when sprayed during application... The formulations achieve stable storage and high biological effectiveness with reduced foaming
Data Source
AI summary
Alkyl ether sulphates comprising between 1 and 9 C atoms in the alkyl chain and between 1 and 20 alkenoxy units in the ether fraction are suitable for use as low-foaming additives for intensifying the action of agrochemicals that are water-soluble or partially water-soluble. Said sulphates permit the production of low-foaming preparations for crop protection.