Compared with conventional surfactants, Silicone Surfactants containing trisiloxane (such as QS-302, QS-3240, QS-326) can reduce the surface tension of water to 22 mN/m, plus its unique Structure, which endows this surfactant with super wetting and spreading ability.
No matter on the leaf surface of easy-wetting or difficult-wetting plants, the agent added with this surfactant can completely cover; it can also (below the critical surface tension of leaf surface wetting) induce the liquid directly from the plant leaves The face pores penetrate and are absorbed.
This method is so fast that it is absorbed almost instantaneously by the stomata, which can not only avoid the loss of the liquid medicine on the leaf surface due to the erosion of rainwater, but also avoid the environmental pollution caused by it; Convenient, while reducing the volatilization of pesticides and the loss of some pesticides due to photolysis.
However, the silicon-oxygen bond in the main chain of trisiloxane is very sensitive to aqueous media and is easily broken.
The main factors to consider when using trisiloxane-based Silicone Surfactants in agriculture are pH and time.
Generally under neutral conditions (pH 6-8), such additives are stable in aqueous media for a long time.
Under the conditions of pH 5-6 or pH>9, its stability becomes poor, and when used under extreme pH conditions, it will be hydrolyzed rapidly and its efficacy will be greatly reduced.
Therefore, trisiloxane Silicone Surfactants are often used in tank mixes, or in oil-based pesticide formulations, and are difficult to use in water-based suspension formulations (which will lead to unstable formulations).
