Water-Based Herbicide Compositions with Surfactant-Enhanced Rainfastness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing herbicidal formulations face challenges in achieving adequate rainfastness and herbicidal efficacy, requiring significant experimental work to develop suitable compositions, especially for water-based formulations with water-soluble active ingredients.
Innovation Solution
Compositions comprising water-soluble herbicidal ingredients combined with specific surfactants and esters, such as C6-C16 fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol ether sulfates, C6-C16 alkylpolyglycosides, and C10-C18 fatty alkyl amine ethoxylates, along with optional esters and other constituents, to enhance rainfastness and herbicidal properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If water-based formulations are used to reduce organic solvents, then environmental friendliness and safety improve, but distribution of constituents and formulation stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple surfactant types (nonionic surfactants with ethoxylate groups and anionic surfactants) in a water-based formulation to create a composite surfactant system. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve both environmental friendliness (water-based) and adequate distribution/stability through synergistic interactions between different surfactant classes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameters including the ethoxylate chain length (5-20 units), surfactant concentration ratios, and pH levels to achieve stable water-based formulations. By carefully controlling these parameters, the formulation maintains constituent distribution without requiring organic solvents
2Reliability
If adjuvants are added to improve rainfastness, then pesticide retention on leaf surface improves, but formulation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs surfactants that perform multiple functions simultaneously: they act as emulsifiers for water-based formulation stability, penetration enhancers for herbicide uptake, and rainfastness agents for physical retention on leaf surfaces. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjuvant additions and simplifies the overall formulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functions of multiple traditional adjuvants into a single integrated surfactant system. The surfactant mixture merges penetration enhancement, emulsification, and rainfastness properties into one formulation package, reducing complexity compared to using separate adjuvant products
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional herbicide formulations are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but rainfastness and herbicidal efficacy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies key formulation parameters by switching from oil-based to water-based continuous phases, optimizing surfactant concentrations and types, and adjusting pH levels. These parameter changes improve rainfastness and efficacy while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes through conventional mixing and stabilization techniques
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 exhibit improved rainfastness and herbicidal activity, maintaining effectiveness even after rainfall, with high bioavailability and stability, suitable for use in crop protection.
Implementation Method 1
comprising water-soluble herbicidal ingredients combined with specific surfactants and esters, such as C6-C16 fatty alcohol polyethylene glycol ether sulfates, C6-C16 alkylpolyglycosides, and C10-C18 fatty alkyl amine ethoxylates
Implementation Method 2
one or more esters selected from the group consisting of (c1) R1COOR2 wherein R1 is a C1-C20 alkyl group and R2 is a C2-C20 alkyl group
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the technical field of crop protection compositions (formulations) comprising water soluble herbicidal active ingredients and certain further constituents having improved properties, in particular regarding rainfastness and/or herbicidal efficacy. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing such compositions and the use of such compositions.