SURFACTANT BLENDS USEFUL IN AGRICULTURE

• US 20110111961A1
• Filed: 07/03/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akzo Nobel Chemicals International B.V. (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: Akzo Nobel N.V. (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Sun, Jinxia Susan
• Granted Patent: US 8,673,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 504/323
• 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 39/04 Aryloxy-acetic acids; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

The present invention teaches a surfactant blend composition of at least one nonionic alkoxylate and at least one sugar-based surfactant, and its use as an adjuvant for pesticides. The pesticidal composition employing the surfactant blend composition of the invention realizes an efficacy that is unexpectedly superior to similar pesticidal compositions which employ only the individual surfactant components. The composition of the present invention is useful as a tank side additive, or as a component in herbicidal formulations. In addition the compositions of the present invention are useful as adjuvants for other pesticides, such as, fungicides, insecticides, plant growth regulators, acaracides and the like.

Claims

1. A formulation comprising at least one pesticide and at least one adjuvant composition comprising a blend of

at least one alkoxylated nonionic surfactant, and

at least one ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester, wherein said alkoxylated nonionic surfactant is an alcohol alkoxylated surfactant of the general formula:

R¹—

O—

(C_mH_2mO)_x—

(C_nH_2nO)_y—

H 

 

(I)

wherein R¹ is a straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group having from 4 to 30 carbon atoms, m is an integer of from 2 to 3, n is an integer of from 2 to 3, x is an integer of from 1-30 and y is an integer of from 0-30.

2. A formulation according to claim 1, wherein said ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester component is of the formula

3. The formulation of claim 1 wherein R¹ is a straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group having from 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

4. The formulation of claim 1 being an aqueous formulation wherein said adjuvant composition is present at weight concentrations from 0.01% to 5.0%.

5. The formulation of claim 4, wherein said adjuvant composition is present at weight concentrations from 0.025% to 0.5%.

6. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of alkoxylated alcohol to ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester is from 1:

99 to 99;

1.

7. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said alkoxylated alcohol is chosen from C10-12 alcohol (10 EO) ethoxylate, tridecyl alcohol (6EO) ethoxylate, C10 alcohol (5 EO) ethoxylate, C8 alcohol ethoxylate (4 EO), C9-11 alcohol ethoxylate (4 EO), isodecyl alcohol (7 EO) ethoxylate and mixtures thereof, and wherein said sugar-based surfactant comprises polysorbate, sorbitan monooleate, or alkyl glucoside, or mixtures thereof.

8. The formulation of claim 1 wherein said pesticide is an acid functional pesticide selected from:

growth regulators, photosynthesis inhibitors, pigment inhibitors, mitotic disrupters, lipid biosynthesis inhibitors, cell wall inhibitors, and cell membrane disrupters.

9. The formulation of claim 8 wherein the pesticide is a herbicide chosen from phenoxy acetic acids, phenoxy propionic acids, phenoxy butyric acids, benzoic acids, triazines and s-triazines, substituted ureas, uracils, bentazon, desmedipham, methazole, phenmedipham, pyridate, amitrole, clomazone, fluridone, norflurazone, dinitroanilines, isopropalin, oryzalin, pendimethalin, prodiamine, trifluralin, glyphosate, glufosinate, sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, clethodim, diclofop-methyl, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fluazifop-p-butyl, haloxyfop-methyl, quizalofop, sethoxydim, dichlobenil, isoxaben, and bipyridylium compounds or combinations and/or mixtures thereof.

10. A method for treating plants which comprises contacting said plants with an effective amount of the formulation of claim 1-9.

27. The formulation of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of alkoxylated alcohol to ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester is from 25:

75 to 75;

25.

28. The formulation of claim 27 wherein the weight ratio of alkoxylated alcohol to ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester is from 45:

65 to 65;

45.

11. A method of improving the efficacy of a herbicidal formulation comprising one or more acid functional herbicidal actives, said method comprising adding to said formulation an effective amount of a blend comprising

at least one alkoxylated nonionic surfactant, and

at least one ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester, wherein said alkoxylated nonionic surfactant is an alcohol alkoxylated surfactant of the general formula:

R¹—

O—

(C_mH_2mO)_x—

(C_nH_2nO)_y—

H 

 

(I)

 

wherein R¹ is a straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group having from 4 to 30, preferably from 8 to 20, carbon atoms, m is an integer of from 2 to 3, n is an integer of from 2 to 3, x is an integer of from 1-30 and y is an integer of from 0-30.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester component is of the formula

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said blend is added to a weight concentration from 0.01% to 5%.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said blend is added to a weight concentration from 0.025% to 0.5%.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the weight ratio of alkoxylated alcohol to ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester is from 1:

99 to 99;

1.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said alkoxylated alcohol is chosen from C10-12 alcohol (10 EO) ethoxylate, tridecyl alcohol (6EO) ethoxylate, C₁₀ alcohol (5 EO) ethoxylate, C8 alcohol ethoxylate (4 EO), C9-11 alcohol ethoxylate (4 EO), isodecyl alcohol (7 EO) ethoxylate and mixtures thereof, and wherein said sugar-based surfactant comprises polysorbate, sorbitan monooleate, or alkyl glucoside, or mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said pesticide is an acid functional pesticide selected from:

growth regulators, photosynthesis inhibitors, pigment inhibitors, mitotic disrupters, lipid biosynthesis inhibitors, cell wall inhibitors, and cell membrane disrupters.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the pesticide is a herbicide chosen from phenoxy acetic acids, phenoxy propionic acids, phenoxy butyric acids, benzoic acids, triazines and s-triazines, substituted ureas, uracils, bentazon, desmedipham, methazole, phenmedipham, pyridate, amitrole, clomazone, fluridone, norflurazone, dinitroanilines, isopropalin, oryzalin, pendimethalin, prodiamine, trifluralin, glyphosate, glufosinate, sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, clethodim, diclofop-methyl, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fluazifop-p-butyl, haloxyfop-methyl, quizalofop, sethoxydim, dichlobenil, isoxaben, and bipyridylium compounds or combinations and/or mixtures thereof.

29. The method of claim 11 wherein the weight ratio of alkoxylated alcohol to ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester is from 25:

75 to 75;

25.

30. The method of claim 11 wherein the weight ratio of alkoxylated alcohol to ethoxylated sorbitan, or sorbitol ester is from 1 45:

65 to 65;

45.

19-26. -26. (canceled)