Polyvinyl Alcohol Spray Agent Fixation and Solubility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural sprays face issues with active components running off due to rainfall or wind, and existing spreading agents either fail to provide adequate fixation or are ineffective at low concentrations and insoluble in water solutions.

Innovation Solution

A liquid spray agent using a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin with a saponification degree of 30-50 mol% is developed, which maintains sprayability even with alcohol as a solvent and enhances fixation ability without forming aggregates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If spreading agents with high water affinity (polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, etc.) are used to improve adhesion ability, then spreadability to crop plants is enhanced, but runoff due to rainfall cannot be suppressed

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovespreadabilityVSAvoidfixation ability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the saponification degree parameter of polyvinyl alcohol from conventional high values (71-89 mol%) to a specific lower range (30-50 mol%). This parameter change creates a resin with balanced properties: sufficient water solubility for sprayability while providing adequate fixation ability to prevent runoff, thus resolving the contradiction between spreadability and fixation ability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If spreading agents containing polyoxyethylene resin acid ester or paraffin are used to achieve fixation effects, then fixation ability is improved, but the agents are poorly soluble in water and act only when blended in large amounts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation abilityVSAvoidsolubility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the saponification degree parameter of polyvinyl alcohol to 30-50 mol%, which optimizes the balance between water solubility and fixation ability. This allows the resin to be effectively used at low concentrations while maintaining both solubility in water solutions and adequate fixation performance, eliminating the need for large blending amounts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If polyvinyl alcohol with saponification degree of 71-89 mol% is used to ensure water solubility, then sprayability is maintained, but fixation ability has room for improvement

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesprayabilityVSAvoidfixation ability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent identifies and implements an optimal saponification degree range of 30-50 mol% for polyvinyl alcohol. This parameter change maintains adequate water solubility for good sprayability while significantly improving fixation ability compared to conventional high saponification degree resins, thus resolving the contradiction between these two properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of manufacture

If alcohol is used as solvent to improve solubility of poorly water-soluble chemicals, then solubility is enhanced, but aggregates may be formed when polyvinyl alcohol is blended

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesolubilityVSAvoidhomogeneity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies a saponification degree range of 30-50 mol% for polyvinyl alcohol that optimizes compatibility with alcohol-containing solvents. This parameter change prevents aggregate formation while maintaining the ability to dissolve poorly water-soluble agricultural chemicals, thus resolving the contradiction between solubility enhancement and composition homogeneity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 agent achieves high fixation and sprayability, effectively retaining active components on plants and allowing for the use of poorly water-soluble agricultural chemicals, particularly suitable for foliar applications.

Implementation Method 1

a spreading agent is usually added to a solution obtained by diluting the fertilizer or agricultural chemical with water... which has a property of reducing the surface tension of a spray liquid to improve adhesion ability or spreadability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 2

Some of spreading agents exhibiting fixation effects contain a polyoxyethylene resin acid ester, paraffin, or the like as a major component... films formed by drying the agents

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFilm formation: Deposition (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3085680B1Liquid spray agent for agricultural use
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 MITSUBISHI CHEM CORP

AI summary

Provided is a liquid spray agent for agricultural use, including a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin having a saponification degree of from 30 mol% to 60 mol%. With this, a liquid spray agent for agricultural use, which is used in agricultural and horticultural fields and has high fixation ability and excellent sprayability, can be provided.