Improving non-aqueous dispersions for agrochemical application

2019年农用化学品总销售额为590亿美元，拜耳作物科学、先正达、巴斯夫和Corteva占57%。农用化学品通常使用含水流体制成胶体，但在活性成分水解有问题的情况下，拥有替代的油基载液也是必不可少的。我们建议研究非水分散体(NAD)中的农化胶体颗粒，以提高其物理稳定性等。这项与牛津大学德克·阿茨教授在物理化学方面的ICASE项目提案旨在更好地理解并增强所需的共同配方。牛津团队在NAD方面拥有丰富的经验和专业知识，他们处于帮助先正达更好地描述NAD的理想位置，例如通过改进胶体-胶体相互作用的测量，这是基础胶体科学的长期目标之一。这项合作将为这类NAD寻找新的分散剂和增稠剂。这项研究将加速先正达内部的新项目，并为其提供支持。这可能导致产品中农用化学品浓度的增加，更容易制造，改善配方在储存时的稳健性等。项目目标：1)--在农用化学品NAD设计中只使用几种聚合物分散剂--挑战在于找到新的分散机制以扩大选择范围；2)--有效构建防沉淀的NAD在技术上是有限的--只有小包装(5升)是可行的。挑战是允许500-5000升用于中间存储；3)-表面活性剂等成分之间的相互作用通常会对颗粒分散产生拮抗作用，导致絮凝和不必要的相分离。挑战在于理解和控制这些相互作用以提高胶体的稳定性。目的：1)提高对这种NAD中粒子-粒子相互作用的理解；2)新的分散机制和相关分散剂的化学；3)提高对这种NAD中粒子网络结构的理解；4)与该目标相关的新结构机制和材料；5)制定策略，以避免粒子与NAD中各种成分之间不必要的拮抗作用。拟议的研究项目旨在提高农用化学品非水分散体(NAD)的稳定性和性能，与EPSRC(工程和物理科学研究理事会)的多个战略优先事项密切一致。通过解决胶体科学和农用化学品配方方面的基本挑战，该项目有助于促进人类健康的物理科学，支持可持续农业和环境保护，改进制造技术，并直接应对粮食安全的全球挑战。与先正达的合作和对强化农用化学品配方的关注，以及新型分散机制和化学的开发，突显了该项目在农业、制造业和环境可持续性方面产生深远社会和经济影响的潜力，与EPSRC的总体目标密切一致。该项目属于EPSRC物理科学研究领域。

The total sales of agrochemicals in 2019 was US$59 billion with Bayer CropScience, Syngenta, BASF, and Corteva accounting for 57% thereof. Agrochemicals are frequently manufactured as colloids using aqueous fluids, but it is also essential to have alternative oil-based carrier fluids for situations where active ingredient hydrolysis is an issue. We propose to study agrochemical colloidal particles in non-aqueous dispersion (NAD) to improve their physical stability inter alia. This iCASE project proposal with Professor Dirk Aarts in Physical Chemistry at Oxford is aimed at better understanding and then enhancing the co-formulants required. The Oxford group have significant experience and expertise with NADs, and they are ideally placed to help Syngenta characterise them better, for example by improved measurement of the colloid-colloid interactions, which is one of the long-standing goals in fundamental colloid science. This collaboration will seek new dispersants and thickeners for such NADs. The research will accelerate and underpin new projects within Syngenta. This could lead to an increased concentration of agrochemical in the product, more facile manufacturing, improved robustness of the formulation on storage and so on. These outputs will flow from improved fundamental understanding of the dispersion and structuring mechanisms at play in typical agrochemical NADs.Project Objectives:1) - Only a few polymeric dispersants are used within agrochemical NAD design - the challenge is to find novel dispersion mechanisms to expand the options; 2) - Effective structuring of NADs against sedimentation is technically limited - only small packs (5 litres) are feasible. The challenge is to allow 500 - 5000 litres for intermediate storage; 3) - Interactions between ingredients such as surfactants often show antagonistic effects on the particle dispersion, causing flocculation and unwanted phase separation. The challenge is to understand and control these interactions to improve colloid stability. Aims: 1) - Improved understanding of particle-particle interactions in such NAD; 2) Novel dispersion mechanisms and chemistry of related dispersants; 3) Improve understanding of particle network structuring in such NADs; 4) Novel structuring mechanisms and materials related to that aim; 5) Develop strategies to avoid unwanted antagonistic interactions between the particles and the various ingredients of the NAD. The proposed research project, aimed at improving the stability and performance of non-aqueous dispersions (NADs) for agrochemicals, strongly aligns with multiple strategic priorities of the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council). By addressing fundamental challenges in colloid science and agrochemical formulation, the project contributes to the promotion of physical sciences for human health, supports sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation, advances manufacturing techniques, and directly addresses the global challenge of food security. The collaboration with Syngenta and the focus on enhancing agrochemical formulations, along with the development of novel dispersion mechanisms and chemistry, emphasize the project's potential to have far-reaching societal and economic impacts in agriculture, manufacturing, and environmental sustainability, closely aligning with the overarching goals of the EPSRC. This project falls within the EPSRC Physical Sciences research area.