Thickening glyphosate formulations

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a glyphosate formulation with enhanced viscosity, said formulation containing a thickening composition comprising at least one nitrogen-containing surfactant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thickened glyphosate formulation which comprises at least one water soluble salt of glyphosate and a thickening composition, wherein said thickening composition comprises at least one nitrogen containing surfactant of formula (E) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where R 6  is C12-C22 linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain, r=2-6, and R 7 , R 8  and R 9  are each independently chosen from H, CH 3 , CH 2 —CH 2 —OH, CH 2 —COOM or CH 2 CH 2 COOM, where M is comprised of H, Na, K, or NH4, with at least one group being CH 2 —COOM or CH 2 CH 2 COOM. 
     
     
         2 . The thickened glyphosate formulation of  claim 1  characterized in that said formulation has a glyphosate concentration of greater than 10% and an increased viscosity of at least 5 cps in a concentrate with >10% glyphosate or at least 1 cps in a ready-to-spray solution after the addition of the thickening agent. 
     
     
         3 . The thickened glyphosate formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the thickening agent is used in combination with a sulfonate derivative, an alkyl alpha olefin sulfonate, an alkyl alpha olefin salicylate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The thickened glyphosate formulation of  claim 3  wherein said sulfonate derivative is sodium xylene sulfonate. 
     
     
         5 . The thickened glyphosate formulation of  claim 1  wherein the glyphosate concentration is from 0.5 to 45% wtae, preferably from 0.5 to 40 wt % ae, and more preferably from 0.5 to 30 wt % ae. 
     
     
         6 . The thickened glyphosate formulation of  claim 1  wherein the concentration of said thickening agent is from 0.05 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the formulation, preferably from 0.2% to 8% by weight based on the weight of the formulation, more preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the formulation. 
     
     
         7 . The thickened glyphosate formulation of in  claim 1  wherein said thickening composition comprises sodium cocoampho carboxy glycinate, oleylampho polycarboxy glycinateor combinations and/or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A method of thickening a glyphosate formulation which comprises adding to said formulation a thickening effective amount of at least one nitrogen containing surfactant of formula (E) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where R 6  is C12-C22 linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain, r=2-6, and R 7 , R 8  and R 9  are each independently chosen from H, CH 3 , CH 2 —CH 2 —OH, CH 2 —COOM or CH 2 CH 2 COOM, where M is comprised of H, Na, K, or NH4, with at least one group being CH 2 —COOM or CH 2 CH 2 COOM. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the thickening composition is used in combination with a sulfonate derivative, an alkyl alpha olefin sulfonate, an alkyl alpha olefin salicylate, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the concentration of said thickening composition is from 0.05 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the formulation.