Co-creation: The way to greener, safer formulations

Our planet needs solutions

As the world endeavors to feed a vast and growing population while dealing with the extremes of global climate change, pressure on agricultural production continues to intensify, as does the demand for safe, sustainable solutions that increase agrochemical efficacy. Historically a conservative sector, agriculture is undergoing radical transformation, calling for game-changing ingenuity and innovation.

The formulation challengeOver the past decade, regulatory barriers and escalating R&D costs have slowed the introduction of new actives. Agrochemical companies are increasingly looking at reformulation and ingredient technologies to differentiate their products - particularly given pressures to replace specific components of existing products with lower-risk ingredients. The safety and sustainability of agrochemical products has never been under more intense scrutiny.

Our vision for the future of agricultureAt Corbion, we work to tackle today’s challenges, always with an eye toward the future. With 100 years’ experience in the production of lactic acid and its derivatives, we are passionate about co-creating with our partners to develop ground-breaking products and technologies that have the potential to re-shape the agricultural industry in positive ways. Only by working together can we create solutions that simultaneously benefit our partners’ businesses, consumers and our planet.

Our deep scientific knowledge and commitment to ongoing research in areas like organic chemistry and polymer technology give us a solid foundation from which to explore and discover novel ways to deliver real, differentiated value to our customers and partners. By providing critical functionalities such as solvency, adjuvancy and emulsification in formulations, and designing lactic-based co-polymers for controlled release and adhesion, Corbion serves as an enabler of disruptive agrochemical technologies.

The building blocks of successCorbion’s long history in lactic acid and its derivatives connects our co-creators to expertise in lactic acid-based co-polymers that can enable the creation of pioneering agrochemical products. We understand, for instance, how the monomeric units that form a polymer, and the way in which they are structured, largely determines the physical and chemical properties of a material. This means that altering the architecture of a polymer makes it possible to fine-tune specific properties and functionality in the end application. Polymer design can be modified by: polymer chain length or molecular weight; the type, ratio and order of co-monomer build-up; crystallinity levels; and the initiators used in the polymerization process, etc. We can tune functionalities further by applying other end groups (e.g., amines or alcohols), adding cross-links, or using a different stereo complexation. Through careful polymer design, we can adjust barrier properties, impact resistance, viscosity, adhesion, permeability or release profile, biodegradability and other properties. Combining biobased building blocks with in-depth polymer design know-how, we can offer a range of solutions for the co-creation of high-performance sustainable agrochemical delivery systems.

Putting it into practice: fine-tuning biodegradability The rate of a product’s biodegradability largely depends on the environment in which it is used, and in agriculture, climate and soil composition can vary widely by location. Knowing the conditions under which a product is being used, Corbion can adapt the polymer’s design to reach the optimum biodegradation rate. For instance, increasing molecular weight and/or crystallinity can slow the process. Conversely, increasingly hydrophilicity can speed it up.

Polymers can be designed to meet desired specifications within the governing regulatory framework. With co-creation in mind, we offer our customers and partners the flexibility in polymer design and formulation development they need to achieve their aims in a specific application.

Taking biodegradable co-polymers furtherOur biodegradable co-polymer co-creation journey has opened up opportunities for developing more tailored solutions for agrochemical applications ranging from coatings for different types of fertilizers to microencapsulation or polymer entrapment of pesticides, as well as binders (adhesives) in agrochemical formulations. Corbion enables such solutions through its SENTIALL® co-polymer platform, which offers flexibility in tuning polymer architecture to yield specific properties. These properties may include flowability, adhesion, controlled release, flexibility, toughness or impact resistance in a wide variety of applications and chemistries.

Corbion’s market-leading biotechnology has the potential to create breakthrough advancements that deliver unprecedented value for the agrochemical industry.

But it can happen only through close collaboration, combining our technology with our agrochemical partners’ expertise. That co-creation can increase product efficacy, reduce environmental impact, and help feed a growing population. Those ambitions are more than possible – they are just waiting to be realized. Let’s co-create them, together.

Co-create with Corbion

ABOUT US

Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, and a leading company in emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals, vitamins and algae ingredients. We develop sustainable ingredient solutions to improve the quality of life for people today and for future generations. For over 100 years, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to safety, quality, innovation and performance. Drawing on our deep application and product knowledge, we work side-by-side with customers to make our cutting-edge technologies work for them. Our solutions help differentiate products in markets such as food, home & personal care, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and bioplastics. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam.

For more information: www.corbion.com/contact

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Interested in our solutions? Contact us biobased@corbion.com

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Monomer type & ratio:

Comonomer

Lactic acid or lactide

Architecture

Molecular weight

Emulsifiable concentrates (EC) and dispersible concentrates (DC) are widely used in agrochemical products. Both formulation types comprise at least one AI, a solvent or blend of solvents, surfactants (emulsifiers), and possibly adjuvants, the main difference being that the solvent in DC formulations is water soluble. As such, both require superior solvency and emulsification to perform effectively.

The most common solvents used in these formulations are derived from petrochemicals. Although effective in providing solvency, these chemicals can come with significant drawbacks. Some are considered toxic to farmers, while also being phytotoxic to crops in some cases. In addition, because they are generally derived from an unsustainable source and not always biodegradable, their use does not reflect a concern for the environment. The challenge for formulators is to find biobased solvents that can perform as well as, if not better than, petrochemical alternatives, with comparable solvency properties in formulation and AI efficacy during application. Through its comprehensive agrochemicals toolkit, Corbion delivers a broad range of options for different types of biobased formulations.