Polyacrylamide Microemulsion for Soil Water Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polyacrylamide-based compositions, particularly in water-in-oil emulsions, face issues with instability, agglomeration, and skin formation when mixed with water, leading to poor dispersion and handling challenges, especially in agricultural applications where water-repellant soils hinder water and fertilizer penetration.
Innovation Solution
A stable water-in-oil microemulsion combining polyacrylamide and EO/PO block copolymer, stabilized with fatty acids and nonionic surfactants, which disperses easily in water and maintains stability, preventing skin formation and agglomeration, and enhances water penetration in water-repellant soils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polyacrylamide is used in water-in-oil emulsion form, then it provides good water retention and spray deposition, but it forms lumps and aggregates when mixed with water, leading to poor dispersion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-dispersing polyacrylamide particles in oil phase along with surfactants before water contact. This pre-distribution prevents direct particle-to-particle contact during water mixing, eliminating lump formation. The particles are already positioned and stabilized in the oil phase, ready for controlled water dispersion without aggregation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses oil phase and surfactants as intermediaries between polyacrylamide particles and water. The oil phase acts as a separating medium that prevents direct particle contact, while surfactants mediate the interface between oil and water phases, ensuring stable dispersion and preventing aggregation during the mixing process.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional emulsifiers are used to stabilize water-in-oil emulsion, then the emulsion remains stable during storage, but it eventually breaks and separates into oil and water layers, causing polymer chains to combine and form large lumps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite emulsification by combining multiple surfactants with different hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values in the oil phase. This composite approach creates a more robust emulsion system where surfactants work synergistically to maintain stability over time, preventing phase separation and polymer chain aggregation even during extended storage periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully selecting and adjusting the HLB values of surfactants to match the specific oil and water phases. This optimization ensures the emulsion maintains appropriate interfacial tension and stability characteristics, preventing breakdown and lump formation while preserving long-term storage stability.
3Quantity of substance
If polyacrylamide is dissolved in water directly, then it provides infinite solubility and low use rates, but it requires high water content making handling difficult due to viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the polymer delivery system into discrete particles distributed throughout the oil phase. This particle-based approach allows concentrated polymer to be stored and handled in a fluid, low-viscosity medium. When water is added, particles disperse individually rather than requiring dissolution of bulk polymer, maintaining ease of handling while achieving high effective polymer concentration at application.
4Ease of manufacture
If water-dispersible solid polyacrylamide is used, then it can be stored as solid, but it slowly dissolves in water and agglomerates when added too quickly, taking hours to weeks to dissolve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing polyacrylamide into fine particles and dispersing them in oil phase with surfactants before use. This pre-dispersion eliminates the need for slow dissolution in water. When applied, particles are already separated and stabilized, allowing immediate effective action without hours or days of dissolution time, while maintaining solid-state storage convenience.
Data Source
AI summary
A polyacrylamide-based composition as a microemulsion is provided in the form of a water-in-oil microemulsion with polyacrylamide dissolved in the water phase, and further comprising ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer. Specifically, the present invention includes, dissolved in the water phase, a polyacrylamide copolymer and an EO/PO block copolymer, with the water phase mixed with an oil phase. Preferably, the present invention may further comprise the presence of at least one fatty acid and/or at least one nonionic surfactant to stabilize the microemulsion. In addition, the present invention may further comprise effective amount of other components, such as pesticides and/or fertilizers, that may be delivered to trees, plants or other vegetation.