Vinyl Ester Polymer Adjuvants for Drift Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural spray adjuvants face issues such as high surfactant levels leading to increased drift potential and phytotoxicity, poor droplet size distribution, and instability, which affect the efficacy and coverage of herbicides and pesticides.
Innovation Solution
Agricultural spray compositions comprising a vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion and a plasticizer, which form an adjuvant that reduces driftable fines and maintains optimal droplet size distribution, reducing the need for surfactants and enhancing the absorption and spreading of active ingredients on foliage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional drift control adjuvants (oil-in-water micro-emulsions or water-in-oil invert emulsions) are used, then drift reduction is achieved, but the adjuvants become unstable and phase separate over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines polymer dispersion with plasticizer to create a composite adjuvant system that achieves both drift reduction and stability. The polymer dispersion provides drift control while the plasticizer maintains formulation stability, preventing phase separation issues that plague conventional oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental composition parameters by using polymer dispersion (20-80 wt%) and plasticizer (15-70 wt%) instead of conventional emulsifier-oil systems. This parameter change transforms the adjuvant from an unstable emulsion into a stable composite material that maintains its properties over time while still providing drift reduction.
2Shape
If high amounts of surfactants are used in conventional adjuvants, then droplet dispersion is improved, but drift potential and phytotoxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the harmful high surfactant components from conventional adjuvant formulations. By using polymer dispersion combined with plasticizer, the system achieves adequate droplet dispersion without relying on high surfactant levels, thereby eliminating the associated phytotoxicity and drift potential problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, harmful high-surfactant formulations with a more benign polymer-plasticizer system. This substitution uses materials that are less likely to cause phytotoxicity while still achieving the necessary spray characteristics, effectively discarding the harmful surfactant-based approach.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If soluble polymer based products (polyacrylamide, xanthum gum) are used, then drift reduction is achieved, but the adjuvants hydrate slowly and mix poorly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the polymer type from water-swellable polymers (polyacrylamide, xanthum gum) to polymer dispersion that combines with plasticizer. This parameter change fundamentally improves mixing and hydration characteristics while maintaining drift reduction capabilities, as the dispersion system is inherently more compatible with spray formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system of polymer dispersion and plasticizer that overcomes the mixing deficiencies of pure polymer products. The plasticizer component enhances compatibility and mixing speed, creating a composite material that hydrates rapidly and mixes well while still providing drift reduction.
4Reliability
If conventional adjuvants are used, then some improvement in active ingredient performance is achieved, but the ability to reduce driftable fines is limited and very large droplets are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the adjuvant composition parameters by using polymer dispersion (20-80 wt%) and plasticizer (15-70 wt%) in specific ratios. This parameter optimization achieves superior droplet size distribution with reduced driftable fines while maintaining active ingredient performance, avoiding the very large droplet formation characteristic of conventional adjuvants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite polymer-plasticizer system that provides balanced performance: the polymer component contributes to droplet coalescence and size control, while the plasticizer ensures proper flow and spray characteristics. This composite approach achieves both good active ingredient performance and optimal droplet size distribution without excessive large droplet formation.
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 combination of vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion and plasticizer in the adjuvant results in a synergistic reduction of driftable fines, improved droplet size distribution, and enhanced efficacy of agricultural spray compositions by maintaining droplet size and reducing phytotoxicity, allowing for better coverage and absorption of active ingredients.
Implementation Method 1
The combination of vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion and plasticizer in the adjuvant results in a synergistic reduction of driftable fines, improved droplet size distribution
Implementation Method 2
enhancing the absorption and spreading of active ingredients on foliage
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural spray composition, comprising a vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion; a plasticizer; and an active ingredient.