JPH01230490A - Aerosol mousse fertilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an aerosol mousse fertilizer whose applied amount can be readily known by eye measure, by charging an aqueous solution containing fertilizer components and a specific surfactant together with a propellant into a pressure vessel under pressure. CONSTITUTION:An aqueous solution is prepared by using fertilizer components such as dipotassium phosphate, 0.01-2wt.% of nonionic surfactant such as poly-oxyethylene lauryl ether or a combination thereof with less than 30wt.%, based on the total surfactants, of cationic, anionic and amphoteric surfactants. The aqueous solution is pressure-charged together with a propellant such as dimethyl ether into an aerosol vessel to give the subject aerosol mousse fertilizer. The fertilizer forms fine foam and can be applied in a fluidal emulsion form. Thus, the amount of the fertilizer applied can be known easily by eye measure.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a mousse-type fertilizer that is particularly useful as a home gardening fertilizer.
This invention relates to an aerosol fertilizer in the form of a fluid emulsion with so-called fine air bubbles.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, such mousse-type aerosol fertilizers have not been found.

Conventional fertilizers are generally used in the form of solids such as granules and powders, semi-solids such as paste, and liquids, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. .

In addition, aerosol fertilizers have been studied and developed in recent years.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 48-48259 discloses that a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol and a fertilizer component are mixed into a propellant,
For example, an aerosol fertilizer is described which is sealed together with n-butane and trichlorofluoromethane in a pressurized container. Furthermore, JP-A-60-108892 describes a foliar spray fertilizer made by sealing urea, I (sucrose fatty acid ester of L89 or higher, and potassium phosphate salts) together with a propellant in a pressurized container. There is.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Solid and semi-solid agents are mainly slow-release and easy to apply, but in small-scale gardening such as home gardening, measuring operations tend to be incomplete and the amount of fertilizer to be applied is unclear, making it difficult to apply fertilizer properly. It was difficult to grasp the amount. Furthermore, when used as a device on the surface of soil, it has the disadvantage that it impairs the aesthetic appearance and is accompanied by a strange odor.

On the other hand, liquid formulations are mainly fast-acting and have the advantage of being able to be applied quickly, but they are generally concentrated and must be diluted with water before application, making them difficult to use in small-scale gardening such as home gardening. The dilution operation tends to make the amount of fertilizer applied vague, which has the drawback of making it difficult to apply fertilizer appropriately.

For this reason, there has been a desire for gardening fertilizers that can be applied appropriately to small-scale gardening with many planters and potted plants, such as home gardening.

Aerosol fertilizers as described above have been developed as something that can meet these demands to some extent.

However, when water-insoluble paraffin gas or fluorocarbon gas is used as a propellant, as in the aerosol fertilizer described in JP-A-48-48259, it is difficult to commercialize the product, and paraffin gas When using fluorocarbons, there is a risk of fire due to their high flammability, and there is a problem in that sufficient caution must be taken against fire.On the other hand, fluorocarbon-based gases are currently a problem in terms of environmental pollution. ing.

On the other hand, the aerosol fertilizer described in JP-A-108392 is a fertilizer for foliar spraying, and the content of nitrogen source, phosphoric acid source, and potassium source is too low for fertilization other than foliar spraying. It is difficult to put it to practical use and cannot be registered as a fertilizer under the Fertilizer Control Law.

Additionally, since aerosol fertilizers are generally spray-applied, it is difficult to apply fertilizer while avoiding weak parts of the plant such as new shoots and new leaves that you do not want to be directly fertilized with.
There is also the problem that they are susceptible to cold damage and chemical damage.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to enable easy visual confirmation of the amount of fertilizer applied without the drawbacks of conventional horticultural fertilizers as described above;
Another object of the present invention is to provide a horticultural fertilizer whose application amount can be easily adjusted.

Another object of the present invention, in conjunction with the above object, is to provide a horticultural fertilizer that can be applied easily and without cold or chemical damage to plants.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a horticultural fertilizer, especially for indoor use, which has other effects such as plant growth regulation, insecticidal/sterilizing, and fragrance in addition to the fertilizing effect.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the basic structure is that an aqueous solution containing a fertilizer component and a surfactant is pressurized and sealed together with a propellant, As the above-mentioned surfactant, 0.01 to 2.0% by weight of nonionic surfactant or at least 30% by weight of cationic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactant based on the total amount of surfactant. Provided is an aerosol mousse fertilizer that contains a surfactant consisting of a combination of the following:

That is, the present invention aims to provide a mousse-type aerosol fertilizer that combines the advantages of both solid and liquid formulations due to the hardness (or viscosity) of the mousse, while also eliminating the drawbacks of so-called spray-type aerosol fertilizers. It is something to do.

In other words, it is mousse-like (a fluid emulsion with fine air bubbles, such as the emulsion foam liquid that is squirted out when the remaining amount is almost exhausted when using an aging foam). By making it possible to apply fertilizer to the soil, it is easy to permeate into the soil, and the mousse does not disappear over time and the aesthetic appearance is not damaged.The amount of fertilizer can be easily confirmed visually, and This allows the amount of fertilizer to be easily adjusted depending on the surface area of the planter or pot.

According to the research conducted by the present inventors, by using the above-mentioned surfactants in a specific quantitative ratio, it is possible to obtain an aerosol fertilizer that can be applied in the form of a mousse, which is suitable for achieving the above-mentioned effects. Something was discovered.

Surfactants used to form foam can be broadly divided into cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants,
Classified as nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants.

As a result of examining the composition of mousse-type aerosols using these surfactants, we found that in order to achieve a preferable mousse state, cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and nonionic surfactants were used in the case of amphoteric surfactants. It became clear that it was necessary to add considerably more than the surfactant (see Tables 1 and 2 below). However, it has been found that if these cationic, anionic, or amphoteric surfactants are added in large enough quantities to create a mousse, chemical damage will occur (see Table 1).
.

Therefore, when these cationic, anionic, or amphoteric surfactants are used alone or in combination,
This causes chemical damage and it is not possible to obtain a good mousse condition.

On the other hand, as a result of examining the mousse condition and the effect on plants, as is clear from Table 1 below, when formulating with a nonionic surfactant, a good mousse condition can be achieved even at a fairly low concentration. It was found that it can be applied as fertilizer, and that when used at a quantitative ratio of 2% by weight or less, there is no phytotoxicity to plants and the fertilizer effect is high.

From the above results, nonionic surfactants can be effectively used as surfactants. Among non-ionic surfactants, surfactants that belong to the following five categories and have an HLB of 4 to 14 are suitable for formulating mousse-type aerosols, and do not cause phytotoxicity to plants. A composition free of the above is obtained. To give specific examples, (1) polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers polyoxyethylene octyl ether polyoxyethylene lauryl ether polyoxyethylene cetyl ether polyoxyethylene stearyl ether (2) polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters polyoxyethylene stearate poly Oxyethylene oleate (3) Polyquine ethylene alkylamino ethers Polyoxyethylene lauryl amino ether Polyoxyethylene stearyl amino ether (4) Polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters Polyethylene glycol stearate Polyethylene glycol oleate (5) Polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters These include polyoxyethylene sorbitan triolate.

These nonionic surfactants account for 0.01 to 2 of the total composition.
．． It is used in a proportion of 0% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by weight, thereby making it possible to formulate a mousse-type aerosol that has a good mousse condition and does not cause any phytotoxicity to plants.

In the present invention, nonionic surfactants are preferably used as described above, but Examples No. 21 in Table 1 below
As shown in Items 1 to 25, small amounts of cationic, ionic, and amphoteric surfactants, or mixtures thereof, can also be used together with the nonionic surfactants.

However, if the proportion of these other surfactants other than non-ionic surfactants increases, it will be difficult to obtain a good mousse state, and drug damage will likely occur. The amount used is 30% by weight of the total weight of the surfactant.
It is necessary to keep it below.

If the concentration of the surfactant is relatively high, a suitable mousse can be obtained without the use of an organic solvent, or if the amount of surfactant is small, a watery foam will be formed and the image of a mousse will disappear. Therefore, it is relatively difficult to visually confirm the amount of fertilizer applied. In this case, if even a small amount of organic solvent is added, a mousse-like mousse with appropriate hardness (viscosity) can be obtained, and it will not easily lose its shape or penetrate into the soil, and the amount of fertilizer applied can be checked visually. This has the advantage of being clearly graspable. However, since the mousse type aerosol of the present invention is intended for plants, it is better to add as little organic solvent as possible, and if it is too large, there is a problem in that it may cause chemical damage. Therefore, in the aerosol mousse fertilizer of the present invention, especially when the amount of surfactant added is small, an organic solvent, preferably normal paraffin, should be added in a proportion of 0 to 5% by weight, preferably 0 to 2% by weight. or desirable.

Various types of fertilizer components can be used in the present invention, and at least one of a nitrogen source, a phosphoric acid source, and a potassium source, preferably all three, are used as water-soluble fertilizer components.

Examples of nitrogen sources that can be used include urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, nitrates, and amino acids.

As the phosphoric acid source, for example, pyrophosphate, ammonium phosphate, potassium phosphate salts, calcium phosphate salts, etc. can be used.

Further, as the potassium source, for example, potassium sulfate salts, potassium nitrate salts, potassium carbonate salts, potassium phosphate salts, etc. can be used.

The nitrogen source, phosphoric acid source, and potassium source are each used in an aqueous solution at a concentration of 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by weight. If the concentration is less than 0.1% by weight, no fertilizing effect will be exhibited, while if it exceeds 5M%, it may cause phytotoxicity, which is not preferable.

As the propellant, various conventionally known propellants such as dimethyl ether, carbon dioxide, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can be used, but it is particularly desirable to use water-soluble dimethyl ether and/or carbon dioxide. By using these water-soluble propellants, there is no need to mix the aerosol can by shaking it during use, and it can be used as it is, so there is an advantage that it is easy to use. When dimethyl ether is used as a propellant, the appropriate amount is 5 to 20% by weight, preferably 5 to 15% by weight. If it is less than 5% by weight, there will be problems with spraying power, while if it exceeds 20% by weight, cold damage will easily occur.
Moreover, the solubility in water decreases and it becomes easy to separate from the fertilizer aqueous solution, which is not preferable. For the same reason, when carbon dioxide gas is used as a propellant, the appropriate amount is 0.1 to 2% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 1% by weight, in order to prevent cold damage. Further, by using carbon dioxide gas, there is an advantage that the carbon dioxide gas required for assimilation by plants can be directly applied as fertilizer.

The water used to prepare the fertilizer aqueous solution is preferably ion-exchanged water, and the amount used varies depending on the type of propellant, etc., but is usually at least 70% by weight of the total composition, preferably 80% by weight or more.
~99% by weight is suitable.

In preparing the mousse-type aerosol fertilizer of the present invention, for example, water is added to a mixed solution of fertilizer components and a surfactant or oil while stirring, or if a powdered fertilizer component is also used, a powdered fertilizer component is used. A concentrated liquid obtained by dissolving it in water may be added to the above mixed liquid, and then water may be added to obtain a predetermined concentration.

In addition to the above-mentioned components, the mousse-type aerosol fertilizer of the present invention may also contain plant growth regulators, insecticides, fungicides, water-soluble polymer molecules, vitamins, pigments, spreading agents, and paraffin substances as necessary. This allows for various effects other than fertilizer effects to be expected. Furthermore, by adding a fragrance, the odor component increases the utility value especially in fertilizing indoor plants, etc., and can also be expected to revitalize the plants. In addition, boron as a trace element,
Manganese, molybdenum, magnesium, copper, iron, etc. can also be added.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained by showing Examples and Comparative Examples.

Examples 1 to 18 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7 According to the composition shown in Table 1, using various surfactants, fertilizer components and surfactants are first mixed, and ion-exchanged water is added to this while stirring to prepare the fertilizer. An aqueous solution was obtained, and this was sealed under pressure in an aerosol can with dimethyl ether (DME) to prepare various mousse-type aerosol fertilizers.

When each of the obtained aerosol fertilizers was applied, the condition of the mousse and the presence or absence of chemical damage were observed. The results are also shown in Table-1.

As is clear from the results shown in Table 1, when the amount of nonionic surfactant used is 3% by weight, the mousse state is good, but chemical damage occurs.

On the other hand, when the amount is 1% by weight or less, no chemical damage occurs and the mousse condition is also good. In addition, in Examples 16 to 18 and Comparative Examples 6 and 7 in which other surfactants other than nonionic surfactants were used together, when the other surfactants were 30% by weight or less of the total amount of surfactants, the mousse The condition is good and no chemical damage occurs, but if the amount exceeds the amount of nonionic surfactant, a good mousse state cannot be obtained, and chemical damage also occurs, resulting in crystallization.

Comparative Examples 8 to 32 In the same manner as in the above examples, aerosol fertilizers were prepared according to the compositions shown in Table 2 using various non-ionic surfactants.

Table 2 also shows the results of observing the mousse state and presence or absence of phytotoxicity of each aerosol fertilizer obtained. None of the aerosol fertilizers was able to satisfy both the conditions of mousse condition and the presence or absence of phytotoxicity.

Examples 19-23 Various aerosol mousse fertilizers were prepared according to the compositions shown in Table 3 in the same manner as in the above examples.

Test Example The state of plant growth was observed in the plots treated (fertilized) with the aerosol mousse fertilizers obtained in Examples 19 to 23 above and the plots not treated.

The plants tested were aciantum and chrysanthemum.
The plants that were divided in mid-month were planted in No. 5 pots using a 4:3 + 2:1 mixture of peat moss, masago soil, vermiculite, and oyster grain. Chrysanthemum cuttings were taken in mid-May, and after they took root, they were transplanted into a No. 5 pot using soil containing a 4:3:2:1 mixture of peat moss, masago soil, vermiculite, and oyster grain.

The aerosol mousse fertilizer shown in Table 3 was sprayed on both plants once a week for two weeks, and the untreated plots were similarly managed using only water.

When observed 5 months after transplanting, the aerosol mousse fertilizer-treated plots had a firmer appearance than the untreated plots in which only water was applied, and the leaves were glossy and thick.

When the plants were potted up, the roots were well established. Also, no drug damage was observed.

Table 3 (wt%) [Effect of the invention] As described above, the aerosol mousse fertilizer of the present invention contains 0.01 to 2.0 wt% of a nonionic surfactant as a surfactant or a surfactant added thereto. Because it contains a surfactant consisting of a combination of one or more of cationic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants in an amount of 30% by weight or less of the total amount of the fertilizer, it can be applied in a mousse-like manner and is therefore easily visually inspected. The amount of fertilizer to be applied can be confirmed, and the amount of fertilizer can be easily adjusted using the sprayed area as a guide, and there is no phytotoxicity or cold damage to plants, and the fertilizer can be easily applied due to the aerosol and anytime formulations. In addition, since the fertilizer can be applied in the form of a mousse, the chemical does not spread or scatter over a wide area unlike conventional aerosols, and it does not stain the surrounding area, and the fertilizer can be applied while avoiding weak parts of the plant such as new shoots and new leaves. Moreover, it easily penetrates into the soil, and the mousse does not disappear over time and does not impair the aesthetic appearance, so it can be suitably used as an indoor gardening fertilizer.

In addition, by adding a small amount of normal paraffin (organic solvent) as described in claim 2, a mousse state of appropriate hardness can be obtained even when the amount of surfactant is small, and as described above. This effect can be maintained effectively.

Further, as described in claims 3 and 4, by using water-soluble dimethyl ether as a propellant in a proportion of 5 to 20% by weight and carbon dioxide gas in a proportion of 0.1 to 2% by weight. It is convenient because there is no need to shake the aerosol can to mix it, and it can be used as is. Furthermore, when carbon dioxide gas is used, the effect of directly fertilizing the carbon dioxide gas required for assimilation by plants can also be obtained.

Furthermore, as described in claim 5, by adding fragrances, insecticides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, etc., various effects other than fertilizing effects such as aroma, insecticidal effect, bactericidal effect, and plant activation can be achieved. It can be expected to be used as an indoor gardening fertilizer, an insecticide, a sterilized gardening fertilizer, etc.

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) An aqueous solution containing fertilizer components and a surfactant is pressurized and sealed together with a propellant, and the surfactant is 0.0
A surfactant consisting of 1 to 2.0% by weight of a nonionic surfactant, or a combination of this and one or more of cationic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants of up to 30% by weight of the total amount of surfactants. An aerosol mousse fertilizer that contains the following and can be applied in the form of a mousse. (2) The aerosol mousse fertilizer according to claim 1, further comprising 0 to 5% by weight of normal paraffin. (3) The aerosol mousse fertilizer according to claim 1 or 2, which contains 5 to 20% by weight of dimethyl ether as a propellant. (4) The aerosol mousse fertilizer according to claim 1 or 2, which contains 0.1 to 2% by weight of carbon dioxide gas as a propellant. (5) In addition to fertilizer ingredients, plant growth regulators, insecticides,
The aerosol mousse fertilizer according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, characterized in that it contains one or more of a fungicide, a water-soluble polymer, a vitamin, a pigment, and a fragrance.