The stabilization of micronized sulfur colloidal suspensions

Sulvaris是一家加拿大公司，致力于开发专门配方的肥料技术，在作物需要的时候为其提供所需的营养，同时最大限度地减少农业浪费。微粉化硫技术（MSTTM）是Sulvaris最有前途的技术平台之一，微粉化单质硫颗粒在施用季节缓慢氧化成植物可利用的硫酸盐。在液态MSTTM产品中，硫颗粒悬浮在溶液中，并使用液体施肥设备施用。2017年授予Bryant博士和Sulvaris博士的Engage赠款有助于解决该技术面临的最大挑战之一；在贮存期间保持稳定的悬浮状态。由Steven Bryant博士管理的最先进的材料工程设施提供了高质量的人员和最新的技术，以了解颗粒和粘度调节剂之间的独特相互作用，以防止沉积。显微镜允许不同添加剂对颗粒物理特性（大小、形状和形貌）的影响被揭示。这些特性与颗粒的沉降时间有关。此外，粘度改性剂的物理特性也与颗粒沉降时间有关。Sulvaris和dr。Bryant提供了硫颗粒与不同表面活性剂、流变改性剂和盐的组合之间发生的相互作用的更全面的理解。有了这一认识，新的配方正在开发中，颗粒稳定性有望得到提高，这样农民就可以很容易地将产品应用到他们的作物上，而不必重新悬浮活性成分。通过Engage plus的资助，Sulvaris和Bryant博士将能够进一步研究这些配方，最终目标是开发和商业化Liquid MSTTM。这将给加拿大和农业带来经济利益。

Sulvaris is a Canadian company dedicated to the development of fertilizer technologies specially formulated tosupply crops with the nutrients they need, when they need them, while minimizing agricultural waste.Micronized Sulfur Technology (MSTTM) is one of Sulvaris' most promising technology platforms, wheremicronized elemental sulfur particles slowly oxidize into plant available sulphate in the season of application.In the Liquid MSTTM product, sulphur particles are suspended in solution and applied using liquid fertilizerapplication equipment. The Engage grant awarded to Dr. Bryant and Sulvaris in 2017 aided in addressing oneof the biggest challenges faced with this technology; maintaining a stable suspension during storage. Thestate-of-the-art materials engineering facility run by Dr. Steven Bryant provided high quality personnel and thenewest technologies for understanding the unique interactions between the particles and the viscosity modifiersenlisted to prevent sedimentation. Microscopy allowed for the effects of different additives on the physicalcharacteristics of the particles (size, shape and topography) to be revealed. These characteristics were thencorrelated to the settling times of the particles. In addition, the physical characteristics of the viscositymodifiers were also correlated to particle settling times. The strong collaboration formed between Sulvaris andDr. Bryant provided a fuller understanding of the interactions that take place between the sulfur particles anddifferent combinations of surfactants, rheology modifiers and salts. With this understanding, new formulationsare being developed whereby particle stability will expectantly be enhanced such that farmers can readily applythe product to their crops without having to re-suspend the active ingredient. Through the Engage plus grant,Sulvaris and Dr. Bryant will be able to further examine these formulations with the end goal of developmentand commercialization of Liquid MSTTM. This will be an economic benefit to Canada and the agriculturalindustry.