Herbicide formulation

• US 20060270557A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Helena Holding Company
• Inventors: Baker, Marvin III, Roberts, Johnnie R., Volgas, Greg, Delashmit, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,426,341 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 25/30 characterised by the surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 39/02 Aryloxy-carboxylic acids; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 39/04 Aryloxy-acetic acids; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

A composition containing a herbicide compound in acid form and an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, wherein the composition contains less than 2.0% free un-reacted alcohol.

Claims

1. A concentrate comprising herbicide compound in acid form and an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, wherein the composition contains less than 2.0% free un-reacted alcohol.

2. The concentrate of claim 1, wherein the concentrate can be combined with water to form a microemulsion.

3. The concentrate of claim 1 wherein the herbicide compound in acid form is selected 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.

4. 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-pyridyloxya- cetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluo- ro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof.

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

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

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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. The concentrate of claim 1 further comprising a 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.

13. 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)p- ropionic 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.

14. 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.

15. A microemulsion comprising said concentrate as claimed in claim 1 and water.

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

17. The microemulsion of claim 16 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-chloropnenoxy- acetic 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.

18. The microemulsion of claim 15 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.

19. The microemulsion of claim 15 further comprising an acidifying agent.

20. The microemulsion of claim 19 wherein the acidifying agent is selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, carboxylic acids, or phosphate ester surfactants.

21. The microemulsion of claim 19 wherein the acidifying agent is sulfuric acid.

31. The composition as claimed in claim 1, comprising herbicide compound in acid form and an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, wherein the alcohol ethoxylate surfactant contains less than 2.0% free un-reacted alcohol.

32. The composition as claimed in claim 1, comprising herbicide compound in acid form and an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant, wherein the composition contains less than 2.0% free un-reacted alcohol and the alcohol ethoxylate surfactants contains, on average, less than 5 moles of ethylene oxide.

22. A method of applying a herbicide to a plant which comprises preparing a herbicide composition comprising a herbicide compound in acid form, applying the herbicide composition to a plant to control plant growth, wherein the herbicide composition contains less than 2% free unreacted alcohol.

23. The method of claim 22 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-pyridyloxya- cetic acid (triclopyr acid), fluazifop acid, [(4-amino-3,5-dichloro-6-fluo- ro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid (fluoroxypyr acid), and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising adding an acidifying agent to the herbicide composition.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the acidifying agent comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of:

phosphoric acid, carboxylic acids and phosphate ester surfactants.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the herbicide composition does not include sulfuric acid.

27. A method of applying a herbicide to a plant which comprises preparing a concentrate comprising herbicide compound in acid form and surfactant, preparing a dilution from the concentrate by diluting the concentrate with an aqueous solution, the concentrate comprising herbicide compound in acid form, wherein the concentrate contains less than 2% free unreacted alcohol.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising applying the herbicide composition to a plant to control plant growth, while the herbicide compound is in acid form.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the aqueous solution is a liquid selected from the group consisting of water, a concentrated aqueous acid, and a dilute aqueous acid.

30. A method of preparing a concentrate which comprises combining a herbicide compound in acid form with a surfactant, with optional heat and optional agitation, to produce a concentrate that can be combined with water, wherein said concentrate contains less than 2% free unreacted alcohol.