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Suspoemulsion (SE)

Suspoemulsion (SE) formulations are used to combine two active ingredients with very different physical properties into one formulation.  They are a combination of suspension concentrate (SC) and concentrated aqueous emulsion (EW) technologies.

The advantages are that it is possible to formulate multiple active ingredients together, broadening the spectrum of activity and eliminating the disadvantage of tank-mix incompatibility.

SE formulation diagram

Benefits
  • Incorporates multiple active ingredients with different solubilities or melting points
  • A mixture of active ingredients is often used to provide a broader spectrum of pest control
  • Formulating active ingredients together eliminates the need for tank mixing which can lead to incompatibility in the spray tank

Limitations
  • The surfactant system needs to support both an insoluble organic solid and a liquid
  • Partial solubility of the active ingredients in water or oil phases causes stability problems
  • Generally they are highly loaded so can have long term stability issues if the correct surfactants are not used

The Formulator's Toolbox (Full Version)

The Formulator's Toolbox
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How to formulate an SE

SEs can be difficult to formulate.  However, to avoid breakdown processes such as flocculation, crystal growth and coalescence, we advise using polymeric surfactants.  Improved anchoring and colloidal stabilisation are key to meeting the required performance criteria.

We recommend developing stable EW and SC formulations separately. After you achieve stable formulations we recommend combining them. In order to reduce instability in the final SE formulation we advise the use of the same surfactant system where possible.

Recommended products for SE

Many of the common instability factors in SEs can be overcome through the use of polymeric surfactants, which adsorb strongly onto the relevant particle or droplet surfaces preventing them from achieving close interactions. The chosen polymeric systems for the SC and EW components should be as closely related chemically to each other as possible. Atlas G-5002L is therefore often critical to the development success of a SE. This is because Atlas G-5002L acts as both an emulsifier and a co-dispersant, thereby stabilising both systems without the risk of transfer between relevant partitions.

Atlas™ G-5002L

Atlas™ G-5002L

A high HLB polymeric emulsifier or wetting agent in liquid form providing long term stability. It is commonly used in combination with Atlox™ 4916 for emulsions or Atlox Metasperse 500L for...

Example formulations

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Polymeric surfactants

Explore the benefits of using polymeric surfactants and how they can enhance stability even in the most challenging environments.

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