Agriculture actives delivery composition comprising boron and persulfate ion-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules and method of use thereof

Abstract

An aqueous composition is provided having a pH of from about 2.0 to about 12.8 and comprising boron or persulfate ion-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules. A method of delivering an agriculture active to a substrate is further provided comprising applying to the substrate an aqueous composition comprised of agriculture active containing, boron or persulfate ion-crosslinked, polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules, as well as a method of treating a substrate to protect from pests or promote crop growth comprising applying to the substrate an aqueous treating composition comprised of agriculture active containing, boron or persulfate ion-crosslinked, polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules.

1 . A water-containing agriculture actives delivery composition having a pH of from about 1.9 to about 12.8 and comprising ion crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules, wherein the ion for cross-linking is selected from the group consisting of boron and persulfate ions. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising a crop protection composition. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the agriculture active is selected from a pesticide, herbicide, or growth regulator. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said microcapsules contain an agriculture active component as a core material. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition includes in addition a chromogenic material. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein said chromogenic material is microencapsulated in the polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said microcapsules are prepared by the method comprising the steps of
 (a) providing an aqueous suspension of polyvinyl alcohol having a solids content within the range of about 3 to about 25% by weight;   (b) combining said aqueous suspension of step (a) with at least one emulsifiable agriculture active component under sufficient applied shear and for a time sufficient to obtain a stable emulsion of said at least one emulsifiable agriculture active component in said aqueous suspension of polyvinyl alcohol; and   (c) subsequently adding a source of boron or persulfate ions to said emulsion of step (b) in an amount sufficient to crosslink said polyvinyl alcohol to obtain an aqueous mixture of agriculture active containing microcapsules.   
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said solids content of said polyvinyl alcohol in said aqueous solution in step (a) is about 4 to about 25% by weight. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said source of boron ions is selected from the group consisting of Borax, sodium tetraborate, disodium tetraboratepentahydrate, disodium tetraborate decahydrate, sodium metaborate, and sodium perborate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said source of persulfate ions is selected from the group consisting of alkali peroxymonosulfate, alkali peroxydisulfate, and ammonium peroxydisulfate. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said source of boron or persulfate ions is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 3% by weight. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one agriculture active component is selected from the group consisting of pesticides, herbicides, or growth regulators. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one agriculture active component is present in an amount in the range of about 0.00005 to about 95% by weight.