DELIVERY OF ETHYLENE BLOCKING AND/OR PROMOTING AGENTS

• US 20100144533A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AgroFresh Inc. (AgroFresh Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Agrosciences LLC (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chopin, Lamy J. III, Dhadialla, Tarlochan S., Schmitt, Robert L., Degroot, Jacquelyn A., Baier, Gretchen, Graf, Irina V., Wooster, Jeffrey J., Newsham, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,603,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 504/357
• 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 25/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application , e.g. seed treatment or sequential application; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/10 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/34 Shaped forms, e.g. sheets, not provided for in any other sub-group of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 27/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/24 with two or more hetero atoms
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/90 having two or more relevant hetero rings, condensed among themselves or with a common carbocyclic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 5/01 Hydrocarbons C08K5/0091 takes precedence

Abstract

A composition including an ethylene blocking agent complex formed from the product of an ethylene blocking agent and a host, and at least one water-soluble polymer, wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex and the at least one water-soluble polymer are intermingled is disclosed.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

an ethylene blocking agent complex comprising the product of an ethylene blocking agent and a host; and

at least one water-soluble polymer;

wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex and the at least one water-soluble polymer are intermingled.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water soluble polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl) alcohols, polyolefin oxides, cellulose ether polymers, cellulose-based polymers, starches, modified starches, and combinations thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the ethylene blocking agent comprises at least one of an ethylene inhibitor, an ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, and a phospholipase inhibitor.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the ethylene blocking agent comprises 1-methylcyclopropene.

6. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an ethylene generating agent.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the host comprises at least one of a molecular encapsulation agent, an inclusion compound, an intercalation compound, a clathrate, a cryptand, a molecular imprinted polymer, and a molecular tweezers.

8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the molecular encapsulation agent comprises alpha-cyclodextrin.

9. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a water-insoluble polymer.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex comprises from 0.05 to 0.5 percent by weight ethylene blocking agent.

11. The composition of claim 1, wherein a ratio of water-soluble polymer to ethylene blocking agent complex ranges from 20:

1 to 1;

3 by weight.

12. The composition of claim 1, wherein a ratio of water-soluble polymer to water-insoluble polymer ranges from 50:

1 to 1;

50.

13. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an herbicide, a fungicide, a growth factor, an insecticide, and a fertilizer.

14. The composition of claim 1, further comprising water.

15. A film, multi-layer film, fiber, multi-component fiber, dispersion, emulsion, coating, froth, foam, non-woven, pellet, or flake comprising the composition of claim 1.

3. The composition of claim 3, wherein the cellulose-based polymers comprise methylcellulose, propylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and hydroxyethylcellulose.

16. A composition comprising:

an ethylene blocking agent complex comprising the product of an ethylene blocking agent and a host; and

at least one degradable polymer;

wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex and the at least one degradable polymer are intermingled.

17. The composition of claim 16, wherein the degradable polymer is selected from the group consisting of water-soluble polymers, water-swellable polymers, photo-degradable polymers, UV-degradable polymers, phase-change materials, and temperature-unstable polymers.

18. A multi-component structure comprising:

a first component comprising an ethylene blocking agent complex and at least one degradable polymer, wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex comprises an ethylene blocking agent and a host; and

a second component comprising an ethylene blocking agent complex and at least one degradable polymer, wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex comprises an ethylene blocking agent and a host;

wherein the first component is disposed on the second component.

19. The multi-component structure of claim 18, wherein the multi-component structure is selected from the group consisting of multi-layered films and multi-component fibers.

20. The multi-component structure of claim 18, wherein the at least one degradable polymer in the first structure is different than the at least one degradable polymer in the second structure.

21. The multi-component structure of claim 18, wherein a rate of release of ethylene blocking agent from the first structure is different than a rate of release of ethylene blocking agent from the second structure.

22. The multi-component structure of claim 18, wherein a release mechanism for release of ethylene blocking agent from the first structure is different than a release mechanism for release of ethylene blocking agent from the second structure.

23. A dispersion comprising:

an ethylene blocking agent complex comprising the product of an ethylene blocking agent and a host; and

at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of water-soluble polymers, water-swellable polymers, water-reactive polymers, photo-degradable polymers, phase-change materials, and UV-degradable polymers.

24. A coating or froth comprising the dispersion of claim 23.

25. A coating or foam comprising the froth of claim 24, wherein the froth has been at least partially dried.

26. A process of forming a structure incorporating an ethylene blocking agent comprising:

intermingling an ethylene blocking agent complex comprising the product of an ethylene blocking agent and a host with at least one thermally-processable water-soluble or photo-degradable polymer to form a composition, and

processing the composition to form a structure.

27. The process of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises at least one of compression molding, extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, dry spinning, melt spinning, wet spinning, solution casting, spray drying, solution spinning, film blowing, calendering, rotational molding, powder injection molding, thixomolding.

28. The process of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises forming a dispersion comprising the composition, and coating or impregnating a substrate with the dispersion.

29. The process of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises forming a dispersion comprising the composition, frothing the dispersion, and removing at least a portion of a liquid medium from the dispersion.

30. The process of claim 29, wherein the processing further comprises coating or impregnating a substrate with the frothed dispersion.

31. The process of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises extruding the composition to form a fiber or a component of a multi-component fiber.

32. The process of claim 26, wherein the ethylene blocking agent comprises 1-methylcyclopropene.

33. The composition of claim 26, wherein the photo-degradable polymer comprises ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymers.

34. The process of claim 26, wherein the composition further comprises a water-insoluble polymer.

35. The process of claim 28, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a woven, non-woven, film, seed, plant, sand, mulch, fruit, vegetable, grain, metal, paper, and wood.

36. The process of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a woven, non-woven, film, seed, plant, sand, mulch, fruit, vegetable, grain, metal, paper, and wood.

37. A method of exposing plants to an ethylene blocking agent, the method comprising:

placing a composition comprising an ethylene blocking agent complex and a degradable polymer proximate a plant;

exposing the degradable polymer to a condition that will effect the release an ethylene blocking agent from the ethylene blocking agent complex.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the degradable polymer comprises at least one of a water-soluble polymer and a water-insoluble polymer, and wherein the exposing comprises contacting the composition with liquid water.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the degradable polymer comprises at least one of a water-soluble polymer and a water-insoluble polymer, and wherein the exposing comprises contacting the composition with water vapor.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the degradable polymer comprises a photo-degradable polymer, and wherein the exposing comprises exposing the composition to sunlight.

41. A multi-component structure comprising:

a first component comprising an ethylene blocking agent complex and at least one degradable polymer, wherein the ethylene blocking agent complex comprises an ethylene blocking agent and a host; and

a second component comprising an ethylene generating agent and at least one degradable polymer;

wherein the first component is disposed on the second component.