Plant protecting and regulating compositions – Plant growth regulating compositions
Patent
1997-10-09
1999-07-27
Clardy, S. Mark
Plant protecting and regulating compositions
Plant growth regulating compositions
514777, 514975, 71DIG1, 516204, A01N 2530, C11D 166, B01F 1756
Patent
active
059289937
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an aqueous composition which, when applied to a surface, improves the wetting. As wetting-improving agent, the composition contains an alkyl glycoside, which is soluble in the aqueous composition and in which the alkyl group is a branched alkyl chain having 6-12 carbon atoms, in combination with a low-foaming amphoteric compound, which is soluble in the aqueous composition, or a nonionic alkoxylate, which is soluble in the aqueous composition, or a mixture thereof.
Surfactants are generally used for spreading an aqueous composition containing one or more active substances rapidly and evenly over a surface. As a result, the active substances in the composition are put to more efficient use.
Thus, the wetting properties of alkyl polyglycosides are known from Statutory Invention H 303 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,325. Further, EP 220 902 proposes that also a foam inhibitor, such as dimethylpolysiloxane, be added to compositions containing alkyl glycoside as wetting agent. Likewise, EP-A-526 443 and WO 93/22917 state that alkyl polyglycosides used as wetting agents may be mixed with respectively an acetylene diol and a fatty alcohol as foam-inhibiting and wetting-improving agent. Since the foam inhibitors proposed have low water solubility, their presence may result in unstable formulations necessitating the addition of a solubiliser. Furthermore, unstable formulations or formulations to which a solubiliser has been added may result in an unacceptably high degree of foaming. Low-molecular solubilisers and foam inhibitors, such as low-molecular alcohols, may also create problems with unpleasant smells.
One object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a wetting agent of good wetting power not necessitating any extra additions of a foam inhibitor of limited solubility or of a solubiliser.
According to the invention, it has now proved possible to achieve this object and improve the wetting of a surface by using an aqueous composition which, as wetting agent, contains an alkyl glycoside which is soluble in the aqueous composition and has the formula monosaccharide residue, x is a number in the range of 1-5, and has a foaming not exceeding 25 mm after 5 min at 50.degree. C., as measured according to Ross-Miles, and a concentration of 0.05% by weight, in combination with an amphoteric compound which is soluble in the aqueous composition and contains an alkyl group having 6-12 carbon atoms, and/or a nonionic alkoxylate which is soluble in the aqueous composition and contains an alkyl group having 6-12 carbon atoms, or a mixture thereof, the amphoteric compound and the alkoxylate having a foaming not exceeding 25 mm after 5 min at 50.degree. C., as measured according to Ross-Miles, and a content of 0.05% by weight. The branched alkyl glycosides indicated above have a low tendency towards foaming and result, in combination with the lowfoaming amphoteric or nonionic surfactants indicated above, in excellent wetting properties. The amphoteric surfactant or the nonionic alkoxylate has been found to enhance the wetting power of the alkyl glycoside while keeping foaming at a low level.
The aqueous composition may advantageously be applied e.g. to hydrophobic surfaces, such as those of plant leaves, lacquered metal sheets, plastics, for instance polyethylene or PVC, and glass, as well as surfaces coated with hydrophobic dirt.
The weight ratio of the alkyl glycoside, on the one hand, to the amphoteric compound and/or the alkoxylate, on the other hand, usually ranges from 100:1 to 2:1, preferably from 50:1 to 6:1. In a ready-to-use composition, the total content of all three components may vary within wide limits depending on the field of application, but it normally constitutes 0.1-4% by weight, preferably 0.2-2% by weight. If the composition is in the form of a concentrate that is ready for use after being diluted with water, the content of these three components usually is 2-80% by weight.
The alkyl glycoside of formula I preferably consists of compounds having the general formula ##S
REFERENCES:
patent: H303 (1987-07-01), Malik et al.
patent: 4888325 (1989-12-01), Schroeder et al.
patent: 5258359 (1993-11-01), Kassebaum et al.
patent: 5663117 (1997-09-01), Warner
International Search Report, Jul. 18, 1996.
Akzo Nobel nv
Clardy S. Mark
Mancini Ralph J.
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