Free flowing fertilizer composition with enhanced deposition/anti drift characteristics

Abstract

A free-flowing fertilizer comprising: i) from 25 to 99.5% by weight of a powdered water soluble nitrogen containing fertilizer. ii) from 0.05 to 1.5% by weight of a polyacrylamide liquid emulsion/dispersion. iii) from 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of a polyacrylamide powder whose particle size is primarily 50 to 100 mesh in size.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An additive composition for improving resistance to off-target drift comprising a polyacrylamide liquid emulsion/dispersion and a polyacrylamide powder the particle size of which is 50 to 100 mesh in size and optionally agents to keep the composition free flowing.  
     
     
         2 . A free-flowing fertilizer comprising: 
 a. a powdered water soluble nitrogen containing fertilizer,    b. a sufficient amount of a polyacrylamide liquid emulsion/dispersion, to maintain the free-flowing nature of the composition    c. a polyacrylamide powder whose particle size is 50 to 100 mesh in size.    
     
     
         3 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 , wherein said water soluble nitrogen containing fertilizer is a member selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, urea, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and diammonium phosphate.  
     
     
         4 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 3 , wherein said water soluble nitrogen containing fertilizer is ammonium sulfate.  
     
     
         5 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 , which further contains from 0.5 to 5% of a powdered silicone defoamer on a water soluble powdered base.  
     
     
         6 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 , which further contains from 0 to 30% of a nononionic powdered surfactant.  
     
     
         7 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 6 , wherein said surfactant is a urea complex.  
     
     
         8 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 , which further contains from 0 to 50% of at least one agent which is a sequestering agent or a sequestered metal.  
     
     
         9 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 8 , wherein said agent is ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, or its salt, citric acid or its salts, or phosphoric acid salts.  
     
     
         10 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 , which additionally contains from 0 to 1.5% of anti caking compounds.  
     
     
         11 . The free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 , which additionally contains finely ground diatomaceous earth, kaolin clay or, polymorphous silica.  
     
     
         12 . A process for manufacturing a free-flowing, powder fertilizer composition comprising: 
 a. intimately blending. 
 i) from 25 to 99.5% by weight of the formula of a milled fertilizer,  
 ii) spraying a sufficient amount of a liquid drift control agent onto the dry milled fertilizer while under constant blending, said amount being sufficient to maintain the free-flowing nature of said composition;  
 (iii) adding a finely ground polyacrylamide powdered drift control agent to above mixture while blending  
 iv) optionally adding dry defoamer, dry nonionic surfactants, dry sequestering agents and/or sequestered metal or, dry anticaking agents to the above mixture while blending, to obtain a dry blended powder,  
   b) passing the dry blended powder through a screening device using a mesh screen to remove large unground particles, and mill scale,    c) passing dry blended and screened powder through additional screen prior to optionally packaging.    
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 13  wherein the fertilizer is a member selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, urea, ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and diammonium phosphate.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the liquid drift control agent is a polyacrylamide emulsion or dispersion.  
     
     
         15 . A process for applying a free-flowing fertilizer to a crop comprising mixing the free-flowing fertilizer of  claim 2  with a sufficient amount of water and spraying said crop.  
     
     
         16 . A herbicidal formulation of improved characteristics comprising non-ionic, anionic, or cationic herbicide and the free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2 .  
     
     
         17 . A method for improving the application of a herbicidal comprising blending a non-ionic, anionic, or cationic herbicide with the free-flowing fertilizer according to  claim 2  and applying the resulting blend to a crop.