May 28, 2020

Over the past decade, the agrochemical industry has seen a rise in suspension concentrate (SC) formulations on the market. A key challenge for SC formulations is long-term stability of the dispersion, as active ingredient particles must remain suspended in both the concentrate and dilution stages of the product. Dispersant selection is vital when developing these formulations as it strongly influences stability. One of the most common forms of instability in SC formulations is particle size growth, which can occur through a variety of mechanisms such as Ostwald ripening or agglomeration of the suspended AI particles (Tadros, 2017). The severity of this behavior, referred to as crystal growth, is a function of the dispersant performance. If not prevented, crystal growth will lead to numerous issues like decreased efficacy due to uneven spray application and clogged sprayers.

Stepan Company has recently developed the STEPSPERSE Kit, a new class of nonionic, high performance polymeric (HPP) dispersants that has found significant utility in the preparation of SCs of hydrophobic AIs. Formulations prepared using this novel, patent-pending technology exhibit superior particle dispersion and demonstrate crystal growth inhibition. 

Read more about Stepan's novel HPPs and our structure design optimization process in this month's AgroPages Magazine.