Herbicide microemulsion-forming-concentrates, microemulsions, and methods

• US 20030148889A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Platte Chemical Company
• Original Assignee: Platte Chemical Company
• Inventors: Herold, Anthony E., Parrish, Scott K., Beardmore, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,803,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 504/244
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 2300/00 Combinations or mixtures of active ingredients covered by classes A01N27/00 - A01N65/48 with other active or formulation relevant ingredients, e.g. specific carrier materials or surfactants, covered by classes A01N25/00 - A01N65/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/02 containing liquids as carriers, diluents or solvents
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/04 Dispersions, emulsions, suspoemulsions, suspension concentrates or gels foams A01N25/16
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/30 characterised by the surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/38 having at least one oxygen or sulfur atom attached to an aromatic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/40 having at least one carboxylic group or a thio analogue, or a derivative thereof, and one oxygen or sulfur atom attached to the same aromatic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 39/02 Aryloxy-carboxylic acids; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 39/04 Aryloxy-acetic acids; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/40 six-membered rings
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/50 1,3-Diazoles; Hydrogenated 1,3-diazoles
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/60 1,4-Diazines; Hydrogenated 1,4-diazines
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 57/20 containing acyclic or cycloaliphatic radicals
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/02 Sulfur; Selenium; Tellurium; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/20 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/26 Phosphorus; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 61/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing substances of unknown or undetermined composition, e.g. substances characterised only by the mode of action

Abstract

Described are herbicide compositions, in particular, herbicide compositions that are prepared from microemulsions containing herbicide compound in acid form, and methods of their preparation and use.

Claims

1. A microemulsion-forming-concentrate comprising herbicide compound in acid form and surfactant, wherein the concentrate can be combined with water to form a microemulsion.

2. The concentrate of claim 1 wherein the herbicide compound in acid form is chosen from the group consisting of:

a phenoxy herbicide, a pyridine herbicide, a benzoic acid herbicide, a quinolinic acid herbicide, an aryloxy phenoxy propionic acid herbicide, and combinations thereof.

3. The concentrate of claim 1 wherein the herbicide acid is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba acid (3,6-dichloro-O-anixic acid), 4-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2(-2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof.

4. The concentrate of claim 1 comprising herbicide compound in acid form, surfactant, and essentially no organic solvent.

5. The concentrate of claim 1 comprising herbicide compound in acid form, surfactant, and essentially no water.

6. The concentrate of claim 1 consisting essentially of herbicide compound in acid form and surfactant.

7. The concentrate of claim 1 comprising from about 10 to about 40 parts by weight herbicide compound in acid form, and from about 60 to about 90 parts by weight surfactant.

8. The concentrate of claim 1 comprising from about 20 to about 35 parts by weight herbicide compound in acid form, and from about 65 to about 80 parts by weight surfactant.

9. The concentrate of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, and combinations thereof.

10. The concentrate of claim 1 comprising surfactant selected from the group consisting of a non-ionic linear or branched alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, an anionic phosphoric acid ester surfactant, a cationic ethoxylated tallow amine surfactant, and combinations thereof.

11. The concentrate of claim 1 comprising surfactant selected from the group consisting of:

an ethoxylated linear alcohol;

an ethoxylated amine;

an ethoxylated amide;

a phosphate ester;

a branched alcohol ethoxylate;

an ethoxylated alkyl phenol;

an ethoxylated fatty acid;

a sorbitan laurate;

a sorbitan oleate;

a propylated, ethoxylated fatty acid, alcohol, or alkyl phenol, and combinations thereof.

12. The concentrate of claim 1 consisting essentially of:

from about 65 to about 80 parts by weight surfactant,

from about 20 to about 35 parts by weight herbicide compound in acid form selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba acid (3,6-dichloro-O-anixic acid), 4-methyl-4-chloropnenoxyacetic acid, 2(-2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluoroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof,

and no added water or added organic solvent.

13. The concentrate of claim 1 wherein the concentrate contains from about 25 to about 35 parts by weight 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and from about 65 to about 75 parts by weight surfactant selected from the group consisting of a linear alcohol ethoxylate, a phosphate ester, and combinations thereof.

14. A microemulsion comprising herbicide compound in acid form, surfactant, and water.

15. The microemulsion of claim 14 containing no added organic solvent.

16. The microemulsion of claim 15 wherein the herbicide compound in acid form is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba acid (3,6-dichloro-O-anixic acid), 4-methyl-4-chloropnenoxyacetic acid, 2(-2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluoroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof.

17. The microemulsion of claim 14 comprising:

from about 0.05 to about 7 volume percent microemulsion-forming-concentrate comprising from about 10 to about 40 parts by weight herbicide compound in acid form and from about 60 to about 90 parts by weight surfactant, and

from about 93 to about 99.95 volume percent water.

18. The microemulsion of claim 14 further comprising an acidifying agent.

19. The microemulsion of claim 18 wherein the acidifying agent is selected from the group consisting of:

hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid, perchloric acid, and combinations thereof.

20. The microemulsion of claim 18 wherein the acidifying agent is sulfuric acid.

37. The microemulsion of claim 18 wherein the microemulsion does not contain sulfuric acid.

38. The microemulsion of claim 18 wherein the microemulsion does not contain a sulfuric acid adduct.

39. The microemulsion of claim 18 wherein the microemulsion contains a sulfuric acid adduct.

40. The microemulsion of claim 39 comprising a sulfuric acid-urea adduct.

21. A microemulsion comprising a microemulsion-forming-concentrate comprising herbicide compound in acid form, surfactant, and water.

22. The microemulsion of claim 21 comprising

from about 0.05 to about 7 volume percent microemulsion-forming-concentrate comprising from about 10 to about 40 parts by weight herbicide compound in acid form and from about 60 to about 90 parts by weight surfactant, and

from about 93 to about 99.95 volume percent water.

23. The microemulsion of claim 22 further comprising acidifying agent.

24. A method of applying a herbicide composition, the method comprising:

preparing a herbicide composition comprising a microemulsion, the microemulsion comprising herbicide compound in acid form,

applying the herbicide composition to a plant to control plant growth.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the herbicide acid is selected from the group consisting of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dicamba acid (3,6-dichloro-O-anixic acid), 4-methyl-4-chloropnenoxyacetic acid, 2(-2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyloxyacetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluoro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluoroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising adding an acidifying agent to the herbicide composition.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the acidifying agent comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of:

hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, perchloric acid, polyphosphoric acid, and combinations thereof.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the herbicide composition does not include sulfuric acid.

29. A method of applying a herbicide, the method comprising:

preparing a microemulsion-forming-concentrate comprising herbicide compound in acid form and surfactant,

preparing a microemulsion from the microemulsion-forming-concentrate by diluting the microemulsion with an aqueous solution, the microemulsion comprising herbicide compound in acid form.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising applying the herbicide composition to a plant to control plant growth, while the herbicide compound is in acid form.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the aqueous solution is a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, a concentrated aqueous acid, and a dilute aqueous acid.

32. A method of preparing a microemulsion-forming-concentrate, the method comprising combining herbicide compound in acid form with surfactant, with optional heat and optional agitation, to produce a microemulsion-forming-concentrate that can be combined with water to form a microemulsion.

33. A method of preparing a microemulsion, the method comprising:

preparing a microemulsion-forming-concentrate by a method comprising combining herbicide compound in acid form with surfactant to produce a microemulsion-forming-concentrate that can be combined with water to form a microemulsion, and

combining the microemulsion-forming-concentrate with water to form a microemulsion.

34. The method of claim 33 comprising combining from about 0.05 to about 7 parts by volume microemulsion-forming-concentrate with from about 93 to about 99.95 parts by weight water.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising adding an acidifying agent to the microemulsion-forming-concentrate.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising adding an acidifying agent to the microemulsion.