Agricultural adjuvants and processes for making and using same

Abstract

An agricultural spray composition, comprising a vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion; a plasticizer; and an active ingredient.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A process for treating an agricultural product, comprising:
 spraying on the agricultural product an agricultural spray composition comprising:   an aqueous vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion;   a plasticizer; and   an active ingredient dissolved in the aqueous phase.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the spraying forms droplets and wherein no more than 5 vol % of the droplets have a droplet size less than 105 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the droplets have at least one of the following characteristics:
 an evaporation rate from 1% weight loss/min to 8% weight loss/min;   a rate of decrease in dynamic surface tension less than 10 mN/m-min;   less than 10 wt % droplets less than 105 μin size;   a relative span less than 1.5;   a Dv50 greater than 125μ;   an average contact angle from 35° to 75°;   a spread diameter ranging from 4.0 to 7.0 mm; and   an average droplet size from 50 μm to 1000 μm.   
     
     
         4 . A method for producing a agricultural spray composition, comprising:
 providing an aqueous vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion;   adding to the aqueous vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion a plasticizer to form an adjuvant; and   adding to the aqueous phase of the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion of the adjuvant an active ingredient to form the agricultural spray composition.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion comprises an aqueous dispersion of a polymer produced from one or more monomers, at least one of the monomers comprising a vinyl ester of a carboxylic acid and having up to 20 carbon atoms; and wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of an epoxidized methyl ester of soy oil, methyl ester of soy oil, triethylene glycol diester, polyalkylene glycols, polyether polyols, esters of canola oil, esters of castor oil, ester oils, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate, phthalates, adipic acid polyesters, trimellitates, adipates, epoxy esters, polyetheresters, epoxidized soy esters, benzoates, dipropylene glycol dibenzoate, diethylene glycol dibenzoate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion is present in an amount less than 85 wt %, based on the total weight of the adjuvant; and wherein the plasticizer is added in an amount of at least 15 wt %, based on the total weight of the adjuvant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, acaricides, nematocides, foliar nutrients, defoliants, plant growth regulators, molluscidcides and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . An agricultural spray adjuvant, comprising:
 an aqueous vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion; and   greater than 15 wt % of a plasticizer, based on total weight of the adjuvant.   
     
     
         9 . The adjuvant of  claim 8 , wherein the plasticizer is present in an amount from 15 wt % to 70 wt % based on the total weight of the adjuvant. 
     
     
         10 . The adjuvant of  claim 8 , wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion comprises an aqueous dispersion of a polymer produced from one or more monomers, at least one of the monomers comprising a vinyl ester of a carboxylic acid and having up to 20 carbon atoms; and
 wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of an epoxidized methyl ester of soy oil, methyl ester of soy oil, triethylene glycol diester, polyalkylene glycols, polyether polyols, esters of canola oil, esters of castor oil, ester oils, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate, phthalates, adipic acid polyesters, trimellitates, adipates, epoxy esters, polyetheresters, epoxidized soy esters, benzoates, dipropylene glycol dibenzoate, diethylene glycol dibenzoate, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The adjuvant of  claim 8 , wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion is present in an amount less than 85 wt %, based on total weight of the adjuvant. 
     
     
         12 . The adjuvant of  claim 8 , wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion is protective colloid stabilized and the protective colloid is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl ethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, starch, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The adjuvant of  claim 8 , wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion is surfactant stabilized and the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of one or more anionic and nonionic, amphoteric, and polymerizable surfactants. 
     
     
         14 . The adjuvant of  claim 8 , further comprising a viscosity modifying agent selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, cellulose derivatives, starches, attapulgites, synthetic clays, fumed silica, colloidal silica, hydrogenated castor wax, polyamide, carboxy functional acrylic, associative thickeners, alkali-swellable emulsions, alkali soluble emulsions, hydrophobically modified alkali-swellable emulsions, hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane resins, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         15 . An agricultural spray composition, comprising:
 an aqueous vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion;   a plasticizer; and   an active ingredient;   wherein the aqueous vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion comprises polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatins, caseins, starches, gums, hydroxy ethyl starches, or sodium alginates, or any combinations thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The agricultural spray composition of  claim 15 , wherein the active ingredient is dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         17 . The agricultural spray composition of  claim 15 , wherein the polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyacrylamide, methylcelluloses, hydroxyethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylcelluloses, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gelatin, casein, starch, gums, hydroxy ethyl starch, or sodium alginate, or any combinations thereof is/are dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         18 . The agricultural spray composition of  claim 15 , wherein the plasticizer is dissolved in the aqueous phase. 
     
     
         19 . The agricultural spray composition of  claim 18 , wherein the plasticizer dissolved in the aqueous phase is in the form of emulsified droplets 
     
     
         20 . The agricultural spray composition of claim Error! Reference source not found, wherein the vinyl ester-based polymer dispersion and the plasticizer form an adjuvant and the adjuvant is present in amount from 0.01 to 15 wt %, based on the total weight of the spray composition, and wherein the adjuvant comprises greater than 15 wt % plasticizer, based on total weight of the adjuvant.