Momentive introduces two new adjuvants for agrochemicals at ISAA 2010

Building on a 70-year heritage of helping customers improve the performance of their products and bring new products to market, Momentive Performance Materials introduced two new adjuvants, Silwet* HS-604 penetrant and Silwet* STIK spreader-sticker, for agrochemical formulations at the ISAA (International Society on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals) 2010 in Germany. Available globally, these products are the newest addition to Momentive’s growing portfolio of specialty silicone products for agricultural applications marketed under the Silwet, AgroSpred* and SAG* brand names.

Momentive launched Silwet HS-604 penetrant as an effective co-adjuvant that can help significantly lower the amount of tallow amine ethoxylates (TAEs) used in many TAE-loaded glyphosate formulations. Glyphosate formulators have begun to move away from TAEs as “in-can” adjuvants because of environmental impact and toxicity issues. Silwet HS-604 can help reduce TAE requirements in standard glyphosate formulations by up to 68 percent while generally maintaining or improving overall performance. By reducing TAE requirements, use of the new penetrant can help reduce the final product’s adjuvant cost, lower adjuvant toxicity, and offer more room in the formulation for other additives.

Silwet HS-604 is a broad-use penetrant for use with herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. It is hydrolytically stable for use in in-can formulations with pH’s ranging from 4 to 10. It contains virtually no solvents or traditional hazardous components and has a built-in foam control agent, making additional antifoam additives unnecessary in many applications.

Momentive’s Silwet STIK spreader-sticker is a new tank-mix spray adjuvant that may be considered as a potentially cost-effective alternative for many agricultural applications. Developed for use as a dual-action spray adjuvant, Silwet STIK typically provides both excellent spreading and sticking performance during pesticide applications on different crops. This organosilicone super-spreader can help increase the spreading on most foliar surfaces and help provide better deposition and adhesion of spray droplets, resulting in higher pesticide efficacy and potentially allowing for lower spray volumes during pesticide applications. In addition, the sticker component typically provides excellent rain-fastening properties required during use in wet or humid conditions.

"At Momentive, we are focusing our ability to innovate on helping customers improve the efficacy, environmental impact and economics of their agrochemical products,” said Ari Papoulias, Global Marketing Director for Agriculture at Momentive. “We are proud of our work in this area, as it helps provide solutions to these issues that were once viewed as incompatible, but thanks to state-of-the-art technology, can now be addressed together without the traditional compromise.”

For more information about Momentive’s specialty silicone products for agricultural applications, please visit www.momentive.com :  .

About Momentive Performance Materials

Momentive is a global leader in silicones and advanced materials, with a 70-year heritage of being first to market with performance applications for major industries that support and improve everyday life. The company delivers science-based solutions by linking custom technology platforms to opportunities for customers. Momentive Performance Materials Inc. is controlled by an affiliate of Apollo Management, L.P. Additional information is available at www.momentive.com