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will float in 10-34-0 because 10-34-0 has a
very high density (1.40 g/ml). On the other
hand, URAN 32 has a lower density (1.32
g/ml) than 10-34-0. Therefore, combining
10-34-0 with URAN 32 or 10-34-0 with
water will give you a fertilizer solution
with a wide density range that sufficiently
matches the density of the powders (see
illustration in Fig. 1).
The FSC formulation technology
directly utilizes Stoke’s law. According to
Stoke’s law, the separation velocity V of a
spherical particle in a liquid is given by
2 (ρp - ρf ) 2
V= gR
9μ
where g is a gravitational acceleration,
ρp the density of the particles, ρf the
density of the liquid, μ the dynamic
viscosity of the liquid, and R the radius of
the sphere.
There are three ways to slow down
the separation speed of the particle in the
Fig 1. By changing the density of the liquid medium, imidacloprid particles can be made float or sink in the
continuous medium. The graph shows separation after storage of formulations containing 20% Imidacloprid and
5% glucoside surfactant (AG™ 6202) in water (A), fertilizer 10-34-0 (C) or a mix of water and fertilizer (B). B can
be used as is or diluted with water or fertilizers (such as 10-34-0, Uran 32, Uran 28, 28-40% AMS) without forming
crystals or coagulations.
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liquid: (1) minimize the density difference
between the particle and the liquid, ρp -
ρf, which is utilized in FSC technology; (2)
reduce the particle size; and (3) increase
the viscosity of the liquid. In principle, if
the density difference is very small, the
FSC formulation will be stable.
We are able to prepare stable FSC
formulations with pesticide powders, such
as bifenthrin, clothianidin, and captan.
Typical concentration of powders is 20
to 40 percent in FSC. We notice that the
FSC technology is not suitable for “COOH”
containing pesticides because carboxylate
containing pesticides tend to form crystal
in FSC.
One interesting application of this FSC
is in seed planting with an in-furrow starter
fertilizer 10-34-0 and an insecticide.
The insecticide SC is first mixed into
farmer’s tank containing 10-34-0 without
further dilution with water. The resulting
suspension in 10-34-0 is required to have
2017 Formulation & Adjuvant Technology
at least a few hours stability. A machine
carrying the seeds and the resulting
suspension in 10-34-0 is then used.
The machine is able to, in one pass,
plough open a furrow, drop a grain of
seed (or seeds) from a seed container,
apply a small dose of an aqueous 10-34-
0 containing insecticide to the soil close to
or on top of the seed (or seeds), and close
the furrow to bury the seed (or seeds) and
the fertilizer/insecticide. This application is
becoming more and more popular because
the starter fertilizer with insecticides can
provide, not only protection to the seeds
by keeping the worms away, but also
provide the necessary initial boosting
nutrients to the young plant, rendering the
expensive and complicated seed coating/
treatment process unnecessary.
Neonicotinoid insecticides are typically
coated on seeds. Dusts of insecticides
are prone to be airborne and kill bees.
This farming practice may allow the use of
neonicotinoid without the dusty problem
from the coated seeds.
A typical insecticide SC cannot be
mixed well with 10-34-0 because the level
of non-essential ingredients is too high
and these ingredients tend to separate out
of 10-34-0. However, FSC formulations
can be mixed well in 10-34-0 without
separation for hours because FSC only
contains aqueous fertilizer 10-34-0 (and
maybe with other fertilizer) and powder
insecticides (already dispersed in the
aqueous fertilizer) and with or without a
small amount of wetting agent.
FSC doesn’t need an anti-freezing
agent because the high electrolyte content
in FSC can lower the freezing point of
water to -10 to -18°C. It doesn’t require a
preservative either because the microbial
is unlike to grow under the high electrolyte
environment.
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