Methods to produce polymer nanoparticles and formulations of active ingredients

Abstract

The present invention provides a composition including a polymer nanoparticle and at least one agricultural active compound incorporated with the nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle are less than 100 nm in diameter, and the polymer includes a polyelectrolyte.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising a polymer nanoparticle and at least one agricultural active compound associated with the nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle are less than 100 nm in diameter, and the polymer comprises a polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural active compound is an organic compound. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural active compound is selected from the group consisting of an acaracide, a fungicide, a bactericide, a herbicide, an antibiotic, an antimicrobial, a nemacide, a rodenticide, an entomopathogen, a pheromone, a chemosterilant, a virus, an attractant, a plant growth regulator, an insect growth regulator, a repellent, a plant nutrient, a phagostimulant, a germicide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are less than 50 nm in size. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are less than 20 nm in size. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises multiple polymer molecules. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer nanoparticle is crosslinked. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of atrazine, neonicitinoids, photosynthesis inhibitors, amino acid synthesis inhibitors, growth regulators, pyrethrins, avermectins, and strobilurins. 
     
     
         9 . The nanoparticle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), poly (styrene sulfonate), chitosan, poly (dimethyldiallylammonium chloride), poly (allylamine hydrochloride), or copolymers or graft polymers thereof and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A dispersion comprising the composition of  claim 1 , wherein the active ingredient is dispersed at a concentration higher than its solubility in the absence of the polymer nanoparticle. 
     
     
         11 . A method to make polymer nanoparticles, comprising the steps of:
 (a) dissolving a polyelectrolyte into an aqueous solution under solution conditions that render it charged,   (b) adding a species that is oppositely charged under these conditions to cause the polymer to collapse, and   (c) crosslinking the polymer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the oppositely charged species is an agricultural active compound. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the oppositely charged species is removed from the polymer nanoparticle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the oppositely charged species is removed from the polymer nanoparticle by pH adjustment, filtration, dialysis, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of associating an active ingredient with the polymer nanoparticle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the crosslinking step is accomplished by one of the following: electromagnetic radiation induced cross-linking, chemically induced cross-linking or thermally induced cross-linking. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of removing the solvent. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the solvent is removed by lyophilization, distillation, filtration, extraction, selective solvent removal, dialysis, or evaporation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of redispersing the nanoparticles in a suitable solvent. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the agricultural active compound is selected from the group consisting of an acaracide, a fungicide, a bactericide, a herbicide, an antibiotic, an antimicrobial, a nemacide, a rodenticide, an entomopathogen, a pheromone, a chemosterilant, a virus, an attractant, a plant growth regulator, an insect growth regulator, a repellent, a plant nutrient, a phagostimulant, a germicide, and combinations thereof.