Hydrophobic Polyglycerol Esters for Crop Spray Drift Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adjuvants in crop protection formulations face issues such as foam formation during mixing, slow dissolution leading to nozzle clogging, and increased viscosity affecting spray distribution, while also requiring registration without leaving residues and being toxicologically harmless, and they fail to effectively control spray drift and enhance pesticide effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
Compositions containing hydrophobic, partially water-insoluble polyglycerol esters combined with emulsifiers having specific HLB values and sorbitan fatty acid esters, which self-emulsify and reduce spray drift by forming larger droplets, improving pesticide distribution and effectiveness without causing foam or nozzle issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If water-soluble surfactants are used as adjuvants, then they dissolve easily and do not clog nozzles, but they cause foam formation during mixing and increase viscosity affecting spray distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solubility parameter of the polyglycerol ester by controlling its degree of esterification (0.1-0.6 moles of fatty acid per gram equivalent) to achieve partial water insolubility. This parameter change allows the adjuvant to self-emulsify without forming excessive foam, resolving the contradiction between easy dissolution and foam formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining polyglycerol esters with specific fatty acid profiles (mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids) and optional synergistic adjuvants. This composite approach enables the adjuvant to achieve both easy mixing and reduced foam formation through the synergistic effects of different components.
2Reliability
If conventional adjuvants are used, then they improve pesticide effectiveness, but they fail to control spray drift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the spray droplets by using polyglycerol esters that increase droplet size and reduce volatility. The specific degree of esterification (0.1-0.6) optimizes the balance between adhesion to plant surfaces and resistance to drift, simultaneously improving pesticide effectiveness and controlling spray drift.
Solution Approach 2:
The polyglycerol ester acts as an intermediary substance between the pesticide and the environment. It modifies the spray droplet properties to improve deposition on target surfaces while reducing drift to non-target areas, thus mediating between pesticide effectiveness and drift control.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrophobic polyglycerol esters are used, then spray drift is reduced and pesticide effectiveness is enhanced, but they are partially water-insoluble requiring emulsifiers
Solution Approach 1:
The polyglycerol esters exhibit self-emulsifying properties due to their specific degree of esterification (0.1-0.6). They automatically form stable emulsions with water without requiring additional emulsifying agents, thus reducing formulation complexity while maintaining hydrophobicity for drift control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the degree of esterification parameter to a specific range (0.1-0.6 moles per gram equivalent) to achieve the right balance between water insolubility (for drift control) and self-emulsifying capability (to reduce formulation complexity).
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 compositions effectively reduce spray drift, enhance pesticide effectiveness, and improve adhesion to plant surfaces, reducing the amount of pesticide needed, while being biodegradable and environmentally friendly, thus addressing the limitations of existing adjuvants.
Implementation Method 1
hydrophobic, self-emulsifying polyglycerol esters
Implementation Method 2
polyglycerol esters with an HLB value of from 2 to 6.5
Implementation Method 3
improve the biological effectiveness of such pesticides or pesticide mixtures
Implementation Method 4
adjuvants for the aqueous spray mixture are essential to compensate for the poor wetting of surfaces
Implementation Method 5
reduce spray drift by forming larger droplets
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to compositions containing at least one hydrophobic, at least partially water-insoluble polyglycerine ester combined with at least one emulsifier, and to the use thereof.