Wetting Agent Composition for Hydrophobic Soil Water Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water repellent plant growth media and soils impede water infiltration and retention, leading to issues like dry patches and erosion, and existing wetting agents may be phytotoxic or lack adjuvant properties for enhancing agrochemical bioavailability.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising a non-ionic alkylene oxide copolymer and a terpenic alkoxylate is used to enhance wetting and water retention in plant growth media, reducing hydrophobicity and improving the bioavailability of agrochemicals, which can be applied alone or with other materials like herbicides and fertilizers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-ionic wetting agents are used to improve water infiltration and retention, then water management performance is improved, but adjuvant properties for enhancing agrochemical bioavailability are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a non-ionic wetting agent (polymer surfactant) with a penetrating agent (short chain alcohol or carboxylic acid) in a single composition. This merging allows the wetting agent to provide water management benefits while the penetrating agent provides adjuvant properties for enhancing agrochemical bioavailability, thus resolving the contradiction between water management performance and adjuvant functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The composition is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: the non-ionic wetting agent improves water infiltration and retention, while the penetrating agent enhances the bioavailability of agrochemicals. This multi-functionality allows a single product to address both water management and agrochemical efficacy, eliminating the need for separate products.
2Reliability
If polymer based wetting agents are used to improve wetting performance, then water retention is improved, but molecular size prevents adjuvant properties as penetration promoters
Solution Approach 1:
The wetting agent composition is segmented into two distinct functional components: a non-ionic wetting agent (polymer surfactant) that provides water retention and wetting performance, and a separate penetrating agent (short chain alcohol or carboxylic acid) that provides penetration promotion capability. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interference from the other's molecular size limitations.
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 composition effectively reduces dry patch development, enhances water distribution and retention in soils, and improves the efficacy of agrochemicals by ensuring better bioavailability and water management in turf grass and other plant growth areas.
Implementation Method 1
The water repellence of soils or other plant growth media can directly affect its utility for supporting plant growth and development by impeding water infiltration and water retention into plant root systems
Implementation Method 2
Anionic wetting agents, such as soap or mild detergents, have been used for decades to enhance water penetration into hydrophobic soils
Implementation Method 3
The water repellence of soils or other plant growth media can directly affect its utility for supporting plant growth and development by impeding water infiltration and water retention
Data Source
AI summary
Growing media wetting composition are provided which comprise at least one non-ionic alkylene oxide copolymer and at least one terpenic alkoxylate.