Wettable powder (WP)

A wettable powder (WP) is a dry powder formulation that forms a suspension when mixed with water before spraying. WP formulations consist of one or more active ingredients which are blended and mixed with inerts, diluents, and surfactants. Wetting agents are used to facilitate the suspension of the particles in water by improving surface wetting. A dispersing agent is added to prevent any flocculation of the suspension before it is applied, maintaining an even particle size distribution.

WP formulation diagram

Benefits

Uniform distribution of active ingredients
Exceptional residual control
High loading of active ingredient is possible
No storage sedimentation issues (due to being a powder formulation)
Reduced dermal hazards

Limitations

High levels of dust can cause operator safety concerns during manufacture and application
Difficult to mix in the spray tank

Microbial WP formulations

WP formulations are a suitable delivery system for microbial biopesticides. A water-free system ensures the storage environment for microbial actives remains inert, preserving their content, while the combination of dispersant and wetting agents ensures effective dilution before application. The solid material base of WPs supports microbial viability over time.

We have developed Atlox™ BS-50, a ready-to-use wettable powder delivery system for formulating microbes as WP formulations. A powdered standalone product containing an optimised combination of dispersants, wetting agents, and filler material, Atlox BS-50 is designed to improve a microbial biopesticide's wettability and dispersability without compromising its viability. Using Atlox BS-50 to formulate a microbial WP simply requires the user to mix Atlox BS-50 with a powdered microbe, and this ease of use offers a reduction in microbial WP formulation development time.

Features and benefits of Atlox BS-50

A complete delivery system for microbial WP formulations
Shorter formulation development time - easy to formulate
Optimised composition to deliver the best performance
Fast wetting upon dilution in water for better application, even with microorganisms with high hydrophobicity
Good suspensibility upon dilution
Maintains viability of spores with common microorganisms
Suitable for seed application

The Formulator's Toolbox (Full Version)

3.2 MB

Products recommended for WP

Once the powder has been diluted in water and is ready for spraying (with the aid of the wetting agent), a dispersant is required to maintain the particles in suspension and prevent them from agglomerating.

Atlox Metasperse™ 550S

A modified styrene acrylic polymeric aqueous dispersant in powder form. Particularly suited for highly loaded solid formulations such as WP or WDG, ideally combined with Multiwet MO-85P.

Atlox Metasperse™ 650S

A highly effective solid aqueous dispersant that performs consistently across many active ingredients. Primarily designed for use in water dispersible granules (WDG).

Other application areas

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