Agriculture
A wide variety of products with different properties and characteristics that provide formulators with the necessary alternatives for formulating active ingredients and adjuvants used in various types of formulations required in the agrochemical market. This allows for the use of an active ingredient that is easy to handle and apply, enhancing its performance in the final application.
Market
The formulation of agrochemicals, such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, adjuvants, foliar chelates, etc., involves diverse active ingredients (AIs), which are selected based on the type of pest to be controlled or prevented in crops, as well as the physicochemical characteristics of the AIs. These aspects help determine the most suitable type of formulation to prepare the AI using various products that contribute important characteristics to the final formulated product, making it easy and safe to handle, easy to apply, and optimizing its performance in application. Some of the most important formulations include:
• Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
• Concentrated suspensions (SC)
• Soluble concentrates (SL)
• Concentrated aqueous emulsions (EW)
Classification of Surfactants by Charge Type
Non-Ionic
• Ethoxylated castor oil
• Ethoxylated alcohols
• Sorbitan esters
• Ethoxylated fatty acids
• Ethoxylated fatty amines
• Ethoxylated tristyrylphenols
• OP/OE blocks
Anionic
• Phosphate esters
• Sulfates
Products and Characteristics
• Ethoxylated castor oil:
Non-ionic in nature, compatible with both ionic and non-ionic components.
Mainly used as an emulsifier in the formulation of emulsifiable concentrates (EC).
Enhances the stability of emulsions in hard water.
Can be used individually or as a component of a surfactant system or blend.
Plant-derived and environmentally friendly.
• Synthetic ethoxylated alcohols, isotridecyl:
Synthetic alcohols with varying degrees of ethoxylation.
Non-ionic in nature, compatible in formulations with ionic (anionic, cationic, or amphoteric) and non-ionic products, stable in the presence of electrolytes.
Resistant in slightly acidic and alkaline environments.
Excellent wetting agents, emulsifiers, and dispersants.
Used in formulations of EC, CS, OD, and WP with excellent performance as wetting agents and emulsifiers.
Natural alcohols with varying degrees of ethoxylation.
Biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Excellent emulsifiers and solubilizing agents for organic products.
Used in EC, EW, and OD formulations.
• OE/OP Blocks:
Copolymer blocks of EO/PO.
Non-ionic in agrochemicals, mainly used as dispersants and foam suppressors.
Primarily used in formulations such as EC, SC, EW, and ME.
• Natural ethoxylated alcohols, lauric:
• Low molecular weight polyethylene glycols:
Low molecular weight polyethylene glycols.
Solubilizing agents, crystallization inhibitors, wetting agents.
Used in SC and SL formulations.
• Natural ethoxylated alcohols, oleic:
Plant-derived alcohols.
Non-ionic in nature, compatible in formulations with both ionic and non-ionic products.
Stable in the presence of electrolytes and in slightly acidic and alkaline environments.
Products with low and high HLB, acting as excellent emulsifiers and dispersants, respectively.
Used in EC, EW, OD, and SC formulations.
• Anionic phosphate esters:
Ethoxylated and phosphated products.
Anionic in nature, compatible with non-ionic and anionic products.
Have properties as wetting, emulsifying, and dispersing agents.
Coupling agents in formulations with high concentrations of organic products.
Electrostatic stabilizers in emulsions and dispersions of solids.
Used in SC, WP, EW, and ME formulations.
• Sorbitan esters:
Non-ionic sorbitan esters.
Available in both high HLB ethoxylated and low HLB non-ethoxylated versions.
Can be used alone or in combination with each other or other emulsifiers.
Enable the achievement of highly stable emulsions.
Natural products, free of alkylphenols.
As emulsifiers and dispersants, they find application in EC, EW, ME, and OD formulations.
• Ethoxylated fatty acids, stearic and oleic:
Natural fatty acids that are ethoxylated.
Form non-ionic esters compatible with both ionic and non-ionic products.
Have low HLB.
Their emulsifying performance allows their use in EC, EW, ME, and OD formulations.
• Ethoxylated fatty amines, tallow:
Ethoxylated fatty amines, non-ionic in nature.
Products with varying degrees of ethoxylation.
Mainly used as self-soluble adjuvants in the formulation of soluble concentrate herbicides (SL), for example, glyphosate.
• Ethoxylated sorbitan esters
• Ethoxylated tristyrylphenols
Applications and Advantages
They are applied in the formulation of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, adjuvants, foliar chelates such as:
• Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
• Concentrated suspensions (SC)
• Soluble concentrates (SL)
• Water-dispersible granules (WDG)
• Wettable powders (WP)
• Concentrated aqueous emulsions (EW)
• Microemulsions (ME)
• Oil dispersions, etc.
Benefits
Availability of products according to customer needs: emulsifiers, dispersants, wetting agents, amines.
• Emulsifiers of different types and characteristics that enhance performance.
• Dispersants for typical agrochemical formulations: CE, SC, WDG, WP, EW.
• High-performance wetting agents that increase the solubility of AIs.
• Products free from alkylphenols.
• Environmentally friendly products that ensure regulatory compliance.
• Products with excellent penetration effects that reduce the consumption of agrochemicals.
• Products for formulating adjuvants used in spray tanks.