Microcapsule Acetamide Diflufenican Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current herbicidal compositions containing microencapsulated acetamide herbicides are sensitive to additives, leading to instability and reduced controlled release properties, and there is a need for formulations that provide longer weed control, increased crop safety, and improved compatibility with other tank-mixed or premixed formulants.
Innovation Solution
Development of microcapsules with a polymeric shell wall and a water-immiscible core material comprising an acetamide herbicide, diflufenican, and an organic non-polar solvent, which allows for high loading and targeted field usage rates, enhancing stability and release properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If microencapsulated acetamide herbicide formulations are combined with additional additives including co-herbicides, then the efficiency of weed control is improved, but the release properties become sensitive and stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple herbicides (acetamide herbicide and diflufenican) and other additives into a single microcapsule formulation. This merging approach ensures that all components are pre-compatibilized within the encapsulated core, eliminating sensitivity issues that would arise from field mixing while maintaining stable controlled release properties of the acetamide herbicide.
Solution Approach 2:
The microcapsule structure acts as an intermediary vehicle that protects the acetamide herbicide from direct interaction with co-herbicides and other additives. The polymeric shell wall and controlled release mechanism mediate the release of the acetamide herbicide, ensuring stability while allowing compatibility with other formulants in tank mixes or premixes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If acetanilide herbicide is applied post-emergent to crop before weed emergence, then crop safety is improved, but foliar injury to crop may still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The acetamide herbicide is pre-loaded into microcapsules with controlled release properties before application. This preliminary encapsulation ensures that the herbicide is released gradually after application, reducing the risk of foliar injury to the crop while maintaining effectiveness against emerging weeds. The controlled release mechanism activates after the crop has emerged, providing a safety buffer.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If microencapsulation is used to control release of acetamide herbicide, then crop safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameters of the microencapsulation process (polymer type, shell thickness, core composition) to optimize the balance between controlled release performance and manufacturing feasibility. By adjusting these parameters, the formulation achieves crop safety through controlled release while maintaining a manufacturing process that is practical for commercial production.
4Duration of action of moving object
If higher loading of active ingredients is achieved in microcapsules, then weed control duration is improved, but release rate control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The microcapsule formulation uses a composite structure with a polymeric shell wall and a core containing the acetamide herbicide, diflufenican, and organic non-polar solvent. This composite material approach allows high loading of active ingredients (diflufenican at 2-10% and acetamide herbicide at appropriate levels) while the polymeric shell maintains controlled release properties through its barrier function and degradation characteristics.
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 microcapsules achieve optimal release rates of herbicidal active ingredients, providing increased weed control and bioavailability while minimizing crop injury and improving compatibility with other formulants.
Implementation Method 1
The herbicide is released from the microcapsules at least in part by molecular diffusion through the shell wall
Implementation Method 2
a water-immiscible core material comprising (i) an acetamide herbicide, (ii) diflufenican and (iii) an organic non-polar solvent
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the technical field of crop protection. The present disclosure primarily relates to microcapsules comprising a polymeric shell wall and a water-immiscible core material comprising (i) an acetamide herbicide, (ii) diflufenican and (iii) an organic non-polar solvent. The present disclosure also relates to herbicidal compositions comprising these microcapsules, methods for preparing these microcapsules and methods of using these microcapsules and herbicidal compositions for controlling weeds.