United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,776,856 Narayanan 45) Date of Patent: Jul
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USOO.5776856A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,776,856 Narayanan 45) Date of Patent: Jul. 7, 1998 54 SOLUBLE POLYMER BASED MATRIX FOR 5,629.261 5/1997 Narayanan et al. .................... 5046 CHEMICALLY ACTWE WATER INSOLUBLE COMPONENTS Primary Examiner S. Mark Clardy 75 Inventor: Kolazi S. Narayanan, Wayne, N.J. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Marilyn J. Maue; William J. Davis; Walter Katz (73) Assignee: ISP Investments Inc., Wilmington, Del. 57 ABSTRACT 21 Appl. No.: 795,022 This invention relates to a water soluble matrix composition comprising an anionic surfactant, a C to C alkyl 22 Filed: Feb. 4, 1997 pyrrollidone, urea and a water insoluble copolymer of vinyl (51) Int. Cl. ............................. A01N 25/30; CO5G 5/00; pyrrollidone with not more than 50 wt.% of a comonomer CO8L 33/OO selected from the group of an o-olefin, vinyl acetate, an 52 U.S. Cl. .......................... 504/116424/407; 514/950 acrylic or methacrylic acid ester and methacrylamide as a 7/904; 71/DIG. 1 free flowing particulate solid which matrix is suitably mixed 58) Field of Search ............................. s04/116424/407 with a water insoluble, chemically active component, such 514/950, 7/904, DG. 1 as an agrochemical, to provide a clear sprayable film form s ing emulsion, such as a non-leachable film on a plant or 56 References Cited other substrate surface. The invention also relates to the method of preparing the matrix and to the incorporation of U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS an agrochemical concentrate and plant spray composition. 5,580,578 12/1996 Oshlack et al. ......................... 424/468 5,597.574 1/1997 Narayanan et al. .................... 424/401 18 Claims, No Drawings 5,776.856 1. 2 SOLUBLE POLYMER BASED MATRX FOR Typically the agrochemical concentrate in the liquid state CHEMICALLY ACTIVE WATER INSOLUBLE contains the active component in a concentration of between COMPONENTS about 1 and about 80 wt.% along with an emulsifier, an organic solvent such as an alkyl ester, an alkyl naphthalene, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a ketone, etc. and optionally a defoaming and/or a dispersing Water soluble matrices for water insoluble agrochemi agent. When employed in solid form, the concentrate, in cally active chemicals in effective concentration are highly addition to the active component in the above concentration. desirable and, for environmental considerations, are much contains an inert particulate solid such as talc. clay, alumina, preferred over dusts in the treatment of crops or other silica, gum, etc. and may also contain a thickener. vegetation. Heretofore such aqueous systems have not met 10 In accordance with the present invention. between about with great success because they are readily removed by and about 90 wt. 76 of the matrix is combined with rainwater. Proposals to incorporate film forming compo between about 99 and about 10 wit. 9% of the active concen nents in the formulation have been equally disappointing trate and the concentration of the active agrochemical in the since non-toxic polymers which possess such properties are resulting mixture can be as high as 30 wt.%. Before use, the themselves water insoluble and are only able to form coarse 15 matrix/condensate mixture is diluted with water to the suspensions which are highly unstable. Usually the inert recommended active dosage level. usually from a few ppm water soluble or water insoluble matrix composition, which to about 3 wt.%. depending on the efficacy or toxicity of the is a mixture of organic solvents and surfactants, is packaged active chemical or a selected active chemical mixture the and shipped to the location of use where it is mixed with the substrate or plant undergoing treatment. Alternatively, the active agrochemical concentrate and diluted for immediate concentrate can be diluted with water to form a dispersion use by carefully monitoring the dosage to an effective, plant before combining with the solid matrix material. tolerant level. Obviously, a matrix in the form of directly Both the matrix itself and the matrix/active composition soluble free flowing particles incorporating the insoluble products of this invention attain many benefits heretofore agrochemical for use as a stable, non-leachable, film form unachievable which include increased spreadability on a ing spray would offer considerable advantages. Further, such 25 Substrate surface, e.g. a plant surface, gradual penetration of a stable composition which incorporates the active chemical the agrochemical into plant tissue as well as achieving in a substantially high concentration such that final dilution rainfastness and stability of the spray formulation. The with water automatically produces the recommended plant matrix alone provides a readily soluble, free flowing powder treatment dosage in a clear microemulsion, is even more or granules which may or may not contain the active desirable. component and which can be stored for extended periods Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to achieve the without deterioration and which can be shipped in water above stated goals by providing a soluble matrix composi soluble or water dispersible bags. The concentrate tion which is capable of incorporating an insoluble active agrochemical/matrix product mixture contains the agro component and which is commercially conducive to pro chemical in an adequately high concentration so that upon ducing a stable film forming aqueous spray. 35 dilution with water the proper non-phytotoxic spray emul Another object of this invention is to provide a water sion or microemulsion is automatically obtained thus elimi soluble matrix for an insoluble agrocultural chemical which nating guesswork in monitoring the addition immediately promotes its uniform dispersion in a clear, film forming, prior to use. Finally, the present active/matrix composition aqueous microemulsion. achieves superior uniformity as the copolymer/urea complex Another object of this invention is to provide a method for aids in the intimate dispersion of the insoluble active mate the preparation of the present matrix and a method for the rial. incorporation and use of an insoluble active component such The alkyl lactam component of the present composition is as an agrochemical. preferably N-octyl- and/or N-dodecyl-pyrrollidone and or the These and other objects of this invention will become correspondingly substituted caprolactam. The preferred apparent from the following description and disclosure. 45 copolymer is one containing less than 30 wt.% of the THE INVENTION olefinically unsaturated comonomer in a graft polymer struc In accordance with this invention there is provided a tre. water soluble. free flowing particulate matrix composition A preferred method of preparing the matrix composition which comprises (a) between about 20 and about 40 wt.% 50 involves forming a solution of components (a) through (d) in of a C to Cs alkyl lactam; (b) between about 25 and about an organic solvent common to both the copolymer and urea. 75 wt.% urea; (c) between about 3 and about 20 wt.% e.g. tetrahydrofuran, glycol ether etc. or in water to form a surfactant as an anionic surfactant or an anionic/non-ionic dispersion and subjecting the resultant mixture to spray Surfactant mixture; and (d) between about 5 and about 15 wt. drying, freeze drying or evaporation to dryness. The % of a water insoluble copolymer of a N-vinyl lactam 55 copolymer/urea complex which converts the insoluble containing not more than 50 wt.% of a comonomer selected copolymer to soluble form, is thus formed at between about from the group of vinyl acetate, an o-olefin, an acrylic or room temperature and about 75° C. The complexing of urea methacrylic acid ester, methacrylamide and mixtures with the copolymer in place of the long chain lactam thereof. In the above composition, the urea component is provides increased spreadability resulting in the formation complexed with the copolymer to provide a water soluble of a rainfast film on the substrate surface. Such a film is solid in the presence of anionic surfactant which, upon particularly useful in agrochemical sprays and in paint or dilution with water, provides a clear, single phase solution. caulking compositions in concentrated form. The matrix is mixed with a water insoluble, chemically Examples of suitable defoaming agents which are option active component. Such as an agrochemical concentrate in a ally introduced into the present matrix/active formulations liquid or a Solid state. So as to produce upon recommended 65 include the sodium salts of long chain fatty acids. Dispers dosage dilution in water a clear sprayable emulsion in which ants which are optionally added to the active concentrate the active component is uniformly dispersed. include lignin sulfonate, naphthalene sulfonate etc. 5,776,856 3 4 Suitable anionic surfactants employed in the present for phenoxy compounds and non-phosphates: mulation include sulfates, sulfonates and phosphate esters 2.2-bis(p-methoxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane; and salts thereof. For example, the alkali metal salts of a C 1.3.5 tri-n-propyl-1,3,5-triazine-2.4.6 (1H3H5H) trione: to Caliphatic compound such as sodium dodecyl sulfate or ethyl (2E. 4E)-3.7.11-trimethyl-2,4-dodecadienoate: sulfonate or an alkyl aromatic sulfate or sulfonate. as well as 1-decycloxy 4-1 (7-Oxa-oct-4-ynyl)-oxybenzene: ethoxylated derivatives thereof or ethoxylated alkyl phenyl organic phosphates: phosphate esters. Of these, sodium dodecyl sulfate and Na or dimethyl phosphate ester of 3-hydroxy