ES2635077B1 - DISPERSANT AGENT AND ITS USE FOR THE FORMULATION OF AGRICULTURAL COMPOSITIONS - Google Patents

Abstract

Dispersing agent containing at least one derivative of an ethoxylated polyarylphenol, at least one derivative of naphthalene sulfonate and at least one glycol, and its use for the formulation of agricultural compositions with high ionic charge.

Description

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DISPERSANT AGENT AND ITS USE FOR THE FORMULATION OF

AGRICULTURAL COMPOSITIONS

DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a composition with strong dispersing power based on the use of at least one derivative of an ethoxylated polyarylphenol, at least one derivative of naphthalene sulfonate and at least one glycol, and its use in the formulation of agricultural compositions, especially those with high ionic charge and low solvent capacity.

State of the art

The dispersing agents are surfactants (or surfactants) essential in the formulation of most agricultural formulations, in order to achieve an acceptable appearance and characteristics suitable for the purpose to be used. There are numerous compounds with dispersant capacity, which differ in their chemical nature, method of production and the preferred use thereof. Thus, there are suitable dispersing agents for emulsions between two liquid phases, others specific for suspensions of solids in liquids and many others that can be used in both cases.

In relation to their nature there are dispersants with very diverse chemical structures, but in general they are classified into three large groups: anionic, cationic or non-ionic, depending on whether they dissociate in water giving a negatively or positively charged hydrophilic ion, or if they do not contain groups ionizable functional. Among all these surfactant compounds, anionics are mostly used in all industries, including the agricultural industry, and there are numerous formulations used in agriculture that contain these types of compounds.

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Within the anionic dispersing agents, the compounds with alkoxylated polyaryl or polyalkylphenol formula have been used in different formulations, either in their acidic, phosphated, sulfated form or the corresponding salts, among others.

The invention WO 2000035863 describes a surfactant system for general use in agricultural compositions, including herbicidal, fungicidal and insecticidal formulations, formed by an alkoxylated triestyrylphenol acid neutralized with an alkoxylated alkylamine.

Similarly, the invention WO 2001020986 relates to a general purpose surfactant system in agricultural compositions formed by combining alkoxylated polyarylphenol phosphate ester with an alkoxylated lignosulfonate salt.

The invention WO 1996008150 comprises an aqueous-based microemulsion with pesticidal activity, formulated with a mixture of surfactants comprising an ethoxylated acid, an alkyl polyglucoside, an ethoxylated castor oil and, optionally, an ethoxylated alkylphenyl phosphate, together with a cosurfactant.

The invention US 5227402 describes aqueous microemulsions as plant protection agents containing as ethoxylated or phosphorylated styrylphenols or their salts, together with non-phosphorylated emulsifiers of the sulfate (C10-C16) -alkyl-monoglycol salts up to hexaglycol families ether sulfates.

The invention WO 2003022049 provides compositions with a herbicidal character comprising a herbicidally active compound, a polyglucoside alkyl, a fertilizer and a surfactant system formed by a selected anionic surfactant

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of a polyaryl phenol polyalkoxy ether sulfate and a polyaryl phenol polyalkoxy ether phosphate, which is neutralized with at least one basic compound.

Naphthalene sulfonates are another type of anionic surfactants used as dispersants in some agricultural compositions. In this regard, the invention WO 2000024259 aims at a liquid composition with fungicidal, bacteriostatic or bactericidal activity formulated with a mineral salt, an oxide, or a copper hydroxide in suspension within an aqueous emulsion of at least one terpenic derivative, a which is added one or more surfactants from a long list of these compounds in which some naphthalene sulfonates derivatives are included, but without any special consideration thereof.

Likewise, in the invention WO 2003022049 cited above it is indicated that, together with the surfactants polyarylphenol polyalkoxyether sulfate and polyarylphenol polyalkoxyether phosphate, others may be added among which naphthalenesulfonates and their formaldehyde condensates can be added.

US 4997471 describes the way of preparing aqueous compositions of latex paints and pesticides with polyether thickeners. In addition to these thickeners, the invention collects that surfactants may be present as wetting agents, non-ionic surfactants and anionic dispersants, such as alkylnaphthalene sulphonate salts.

Description of the invention

The present invention describes an agent with strong dispersing power suitable for use in the composition of agricultural formulations and comprising at least one anionic surfactant derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol; at least one

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anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate; and at least one compound with an alcoholic nature selected from propane-1,2-diol and / or propanotriol.

In the case of the present invention, it has been found that the combination of both types of anionic surfactants, together with the use of a selected alcohol, results in a formulation with a strongly dispersing character that has suitable characteristics for preparing agricultural compositions, especially those with high ionic charge and low solvent capacity.

All of this in accordance with the various aspects indicated in the independent claims that accompany this specification and which are incorporated herein by reference to them. Particular embodiments and practical examples of the invention are described in the dependent claims and, likewise, are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

Throughout the description and the claims the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical characteristics or components. For those skilled in the art, other compounds, advantages and features of the invention will be derived partly from the description and partly from the practice of the invention.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

As indicated, the present invention describes a dispersing agent for the formulation of agricultural compositions comprising the use of at least one anionic surfactant derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol; the use of at least one anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate; the use of at least one compound with

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alcoholic nature selected from propane-1,2-diol and / or propanotriol.

Among the possible derivatives of ethoxylated polyarylphenol, phosphate anionic surfactants and their derivatives, preferably their sodium salts, are preferred. In addition, those obtained by neutralizing some of them with an amine can be considered within these ethoxylated polyarylphenol derivatives.

By the term "aryl" is meant any substituent that presents this chemical structure and that gives rise to surfactants of the desired nature, preferably phenyl, tolyl, indanyl, indenyl or styryl.

The concentration of the surfactant or surfactants derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol in the final agricultural formulation will be between 0.2 and 20%, preferably between 2 and 5%.

As an anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate, those obtained by polymerization with formaldehyde, especially its salts and, within these, preferably its sodium salts, are preferred. This type of compound can also be used as a humectant, but together with the anionic surfactant derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol and the rest of the system described in this invention acts as a dispersing agent.

The concentration of the surfactant or surfactants derived from naphthalene sulfonate in the final agricultural formulation will be between 0.1 and 10%, preferably between 0.5 and 5%.

Third, the strongly dispersing system comprises the use of at least one third component with an alcoholic nature selected from propane-1,2-diol and / or propanotriol. Both compounds are used in numerous

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industries with very different purposes, taking advantage of their antifreeze, hygroscopic and softening effects, properties that in turn improve the texture and properties of the agricultural formulations obtained according to the present invention.

The concentration of the component with an alcoholic nature selected from propane-1,2-diol and / or propanotriol will be between 0.2 and 20%, preferably between 2 and 5%.

The proposed dispersant system can be used in fertilizer and phytosanitary formulations, mainly in those formulations with high ionic charges due to the presence of one or more agriculturally active compounds that provide copper, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese or calcium ions, between many others, where the capacity to use solvents is low. The list described herein is not intended to be limiting for the present invention, and in addition to all of the above, agricultural formulations may contain any ion or mixture of ions with interest for the intended purpose.

In agricultural formulations based on this system with strong dispersing power, the concentration of the agriculturally active composition will be between 2 0 and 90%, preferably between 40 and 70%.

Optionally, one or more gums can be added as a thickening agent to agricultural compositions based on the dispersing agent described in the present invention, in cases where this type of finish is sought. Preferably, the rubber / s to be used will be chosen from among the following: tara gum, xanthan gum, arabic gum or guar gum.

The concentration at which the rubber / s will optionally be added as a thickening agent will be between 0.05 and 10%,

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preferably between 0.1 and 5%.

Optionally, suitable technological aids can also be added so that the agricultural formulation has the best handling characteristics and the proposed objective, such as antifoams, moisture suppressants, gelling agents, thickeners, etc.

The concentration at which the technological adjuvants will optionally be added will be between 0.1 and 10%.

The rest to complete 100% of the composition of the agricultural formulation will normally be water.

The agricultural formulations that are obtained based on the strongly dispersing agent can be used with fertilizer and / or phytosanitary character according to the agriculturally active component that it contains in each case.

The agricultural formulations obtained can be used in any type of crop and can be applied by any means, such as foliar spray or fertirrigation.

With the obtained agricultural formulations, treatment broths with very variable doses can be prepared depending on the agriculturally active component it contains, the type of crop on which it is to be applied and the means of application to be used. Because these agricultural formulations are based on the dispersing agent described in this invention, their dissolution is carried out correctly even at high doses.

Claims (13)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 1. A dispersing agent for the formulation of agricultural compositions comprising at least one anionic surfactant derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol; at least one anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate; and at least one compound with an alcoholic nature selected from propane-1,2-diol and propanotriol. 2. - The dispersing agent according to claim 1, wherein the ethoxylated polyarylphenol derived surfactant is from the group of phosphate anionic surfactants and their derivatives and preferably their sodium salts. 3. - The dispersing agent of claim 2 wherein the surfactant derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol will be present in a percentage between 0.2 and 20%. 4. - The dispersing agent of claim 3 wherein the surfactant derived from ethoxylated polyarylphenol will be comprised between 2 and 5%. 5. - The dispersing agent of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate is a derivative obtained by polymerization with formaldehyde and preferably its sodium salts. 6. - The dispersing agent of claim 5 wherein anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate will be present in a weight percentage between 0.1 and 10%. 7. - The dispersing agent of claim 6 wherein the anionic surfactant derived from naphthalene sulfonate will be present in a weight percentage between 0.5 and 5%. 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 8. The dispersing agent of any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the alcoholic compound will be present in a weight percentage between 0.2 and 20%. 9. - The dispersing agent according to claim 8 wherein the compound with an alcoholic nature is comprised in a weight percentage between 2 and 5%. 10. - The use of a dispersing agent according to any one of claims 1 to 9 in obtaining agricultural formulations, such as those with high ionic charges due to the presence of one or more ions where the capacity to use solvents is low. 11. - The use of a dispersing agent according to claim 10 wherein the agricultural composition will be present in a weight percentage between 20 and 90% and preferably between 40 and 70%. 12. - The use of a dispersing agent according to any of claims 10 and 11 wherein the agricultural formulation further comprises one or more gums as a gelling agent in a percentage between 0.05 and 10%, preferably between 0.1 and 5 %. 13. - The use of a dispersing agent according to any of claims 11-12 wherein the agricultural formulation further comprises technological adjuvants in a percentage between 0.1 and 10%.