Wetting of pesticides

Surfactants in pesticides improve wetting by reducing the surface tension of the solution. The droplet size also depends on this value, as a spray mist has a larger internal surface area which is easier to achieve with low surface tension.

Our tensiometers measure the value of the surface tension quickly and precisely. Together with measurements of the critical micelle concentration (CMC), they also help to assess the efficiency of the surfactant. The CMC specifies the surfactant content at which the maximum reduction in surface tension is achieved.

Spraying is a highly dynamic process for which the mobility of the surfactants is particularly important. The required reduction in surface tension must often be achieved within the fractions of a second which elapse between the generation of the droplet and the contact with the leaf. Our stationary and mobile Bubble Pressure Tensiometers – BP100 and BPT Mobile measure the dynamic surface tension even at surface ages of a few milliseconds.

The wetting on a particular type of leaf can be determined by measuring the contact angle. Our drop shape analysis instruments measure this precisely. Furthermore, a tilting table as an accessory measures the roll-off angle for a dispensed drop. The roll-off angle describes the inclination of the surface - in this case the leaf - at which the drop rolls or slides off the surface.

AR261: Surfactant Additives for Pesticide Formulations – Effects on both Spray Atomization and Substrate Wettability

A comprehensive characterization of three pesticide recipes with dynamic surface tension measurements and contact angle investigations highlights the differences with regard to drop size, wettability and roll-off behavior.