Polymer Particles Enhance Soil Mobility of Sparingly Soluble Insecticides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pesticide formulations often have limited soil mobility, making it difficult and labor-intensive to deliver insecticides to deeper soil layers, particularly for sparingly soluble active ingredients like fipronil and cypermethrin, which are essential for controlling soil-dwelling pests such as termites.
Innovation Solution
The use of polymer particles comprising sparingly soluble insecticides and water-insoluble polymers, specifically formulated through polymerization, polycondensation, or polyaddition processes, to enhance the soil mobility of these insecticides, allowing for deeper penetration with reduced water usage and improved biological activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional pesticide formulations are used, then the active ingredient can be applied to the soil surface, but the soil mobility is limited and deep penetration requires high labor and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the pesticide formulation by incorporating it into polymer particles with specific pore sizes and hydrophobicity characteristics. This modification transforms the pesticide's interaction with soil, enabling spontaneous deep penetration without mechanical intervention or high water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system where the pesticide is embedded within polymer particles that have specific structural properties (pore size, hydrophobicity). This composite structure provides both the pesticide delivery function and the soil mobility enhancement, eliminating the need for separate mechanical delivery systems.
2Ease of operation
If more water is used to improve soil mobility, then deeper soil layers can be reached, but water consumption increases and biological activity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer particles are designed with controlled hydrophobicity and pore size parameters that enable the pesticide to move through soil matrices using minimal water. The hydrophobic interaction with soil organic matter and the capillary action through controlled pore sizes allow deep penetration with reduced water volumes.
3Reliability
If higher amounts of insecticide are applied, then pest control effectiveness increases, but the amount of insecticide required is currently high due to poor soil mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer particle structure creates local concentration gradients where the pesticide is released at specific locations deep in the soil profile. This localized delivery ensures high concentrations at the target site (termite activity zones) while reducing the total quantity needed compared to surface applications that rely on diffusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer particles act as intermediaries that facilitate the transport of hydrophobic pesticides through the soil matrix. They mediate the interaction between the pesticide and soil, enabling controlled release and deep penetration, thereby improving the efficiency of pest control and reducing the total insecticide quantity required.
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
This approach significantly increases the soil mobility of sparingly soluble insecticides, enhances their biological activity, and reduces the amount of insecticide required, enabling more effective control of soil-dwelling pests like termites with less water and labor.
Implementation Method 1
The polymer particles comprising a) at least one sparingly soluble insecticide and b) at least one water-insoluble polymer
Data Source
AI summary
Polymer particles, comprisinga) at least one sparingly soluble insecticide from the group consisting of fipronil, allethrin, alpha-cypermethrin, beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, bioallethrin, 4-chloro-2-(2-chloro-2-methylpropyl)-5-[(6-iodo-3-pyridinyl)methoxy]-3(2H)-pyridazinone (CAS-RN: 120955-77-3), chlorantraniliprole, chlorfenapyr, cyantraniliprole, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, etofenprox, fenoxycarb, flufenoxuron, hydramethylnon, imidacloprid, indoxacarb, metaflumizone, permethrin, pyriproxifen, tebufenozide and tralomethrin andb) at least one water-insoluble polymer,are suitable for improving the soil mobility of the sparingly soluble insecticide(s).