Richard C Kramer

US Patent:

6448434, Sep 10, 2002

Filed:

Jul 25, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/624949

Inventors:

Richard M. Kramer - Chesterfield MO

Assignee:

Monsanto Technology LLC - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

C07F 938

US Classification:

562 17, 504206

Abstract:

A process is provided for preparing ammonium glyphosate powder suitable for downstream processing by extrusion to make a granular formulation comprising ammonium glyphosate and surfactant. The process comprises (a) mixing (i) solid particulate glyphosate acid, (ii) water in an amount of about 0. 5 to about 3 parts by weight per part by weight of glyphosate acid, and (iii) a base that supplies ammonium cations, in an amount of about 0. 8 to about 1. 25 mole equivalents of ammonia per mole of glyphosate acid, to form an aqueous reaction medium; (b) allowing the glyphosate acid to react with the base in the reaction medium to form a reaction product comprising a concentrated aqueous solution of ammonium glyphosate; (c) drying the reaction product, for example with a drum dryer, to recover a particulate solid; and (d) accelerating the particulate solid in a turbulent high-velocity gas stream, for example in a jet mill, to form by particle-particle attrition an ammonium glyphosate powder having a mean particle size of about 5 to about 20 m.

US Patent:

6599858, Jul 29, 2003

Filed:

Jul 25, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/703077

Inventors:

Richard M. Kramer - Chesterfield MO

Assignee:

Monsanto Technology LLC - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

A01N 5718

US Classification:

504206, 562 17

Abstract:

A process is provided for preparing ammonium glyphosate flakes, comprising (a) mixing (i) solid particulate glyphosate acid, (ii) water in an amount of about 0. 5 to about 3 parts by weight per part by weight of glyphosate acid, and (iii) a base that supplies ammonium cations, in an amount of about 0. 8 to about 1. 25 mole equivalents of ammonia per mole of glyphosate acid, to form an aqueous reaction medium; (b) allowing the glyphosate acid to react with the base in the reaction medium to form a reaction product comprising a concentrated aqueous solution of ammonium glyphosate; (c) drying the reaction product by contact thereof with a heated surface to form, primarily by evaporation of water, a solid deposit on the heated surface; and (d) scraping the solid deposit off the heated surface to recover dry flakes of ammonium glyphosate.

US Patent:

6605568, Aug 12, 2003

Filed:

Jul 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/627078

Inventors:

Brent D. Massmann - Ballwin MO
Richard M. Kramer - Chesterfield MO
John T. Wang - St. Louis MO
Marc Emile Toussaint - late of Corroy-le-Grand, BE

Assignee:

Monsanto Technology LLC - St. Louis MO
Monsanto Europe, S.A. - Brussels

International Classification:

A01N 5702

US Classification:

504127, 504128, 504206, 562 17

Abstract:

A process is provided for preparing a downstream processable ammonium glyphosate paste, comprising mixing in a suitable vessel (i) particulate glyphosate acid, (ii) ammonia in an amount of about 0. 8 to about 1. 25 moles per mole of the glyphosate acid, and (iii) water in an amount of about 10% to about 25% by weight of all materials being mixed in the vessel, thereby causing a reaction of the glyphosate acid and ammonia that generates heat causing partial evaporation of the water, and forms an ammonium glyphosate paste having a moisture content of about 5% to about 20% by weight. A process is also provided for preparing a dry granular herbicidal composition, comprising (a) forming an ammonium glyphosate paste as described above and thereafter, if the moisture content of the paste is greater than about 15% by weight, applying heat and/or vacuum to reduce the moisture content to about 5% to about 15% by weight; (b) thereafter adding to the paste, with mixing, one or more surfactants in a weight ratio of total surfactant to ammonium glyphosate of about 1:9 to about 1:3 to form an extrudable wet mix; (c) extruding the wet mix to form extrudate strands that break to form moist coherent granules; and (d) drying the granules to produce the dry granular composition.

US Patent:

57169039, Feb 10, 1998

Filed:

Jan 3, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/778890

Inventors:

Richard M. Kramer - Chesterfield MO
Thomas M. Day - Creve Coeur MO
Ralph E. Lindemann - St. Louis MO
Jane L. Gillespie - University City MO

Assignee:

Monsanto Company - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

A01N 5702

US Classification:

504206

Abstract:

Solid N-phosphonomethylglycine or glyphosate acid is charged to a substantially closed system and then partially pre-dried as by continuously recirculating it through a hot air grinding/drying system. A cooled solution of ammonium hydroxide is then metered into and reacted with the partially dried glyphosate acid as it is being recirculated in a manner such that the moisture content of the reaction mass so formed is continuously decreased throughout the reaction. Following completion of the ammonium hydroxide addition, a powdered reaction mass/product having a moisture content of about 2 wt. % is formed. Significantly, at this stage, the ammonium glyphosate product is suitable for end use and it can be readily dissolved in water and immediately used as a herbicide or plant growth regulator. More importantly, however, this product is capable due to its highly sorptive character to be further formulated into a product exceptionally highly loaded with adjuvants and particularly surfactants.

US Patent:

62457136, Jun 12, 2001

Filed:

Apr 23, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/298136

Inventors:

Ronald J. Brinker - Ellisville MO
Andrew D. Dyszlewski - Maryland Heights MO
Jane L. Gillespie - St. Louis MO
Claude R. Jones - St. Louis MO
Richard M. Kramer - Chesterfield MO
Norman R. Pallas - Florissant MO
Rodney O. Radke - St. Charles MO
Anthony J. I. Ward - Clayton MO
Xiaodong C. Xu - St. Louis MO

Assignee:

Monsanto Company - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

A01N 2530
A01N 5702

US Classification:

504206

Abstract:

A composition for application to foliage of a plant to elicit a biological effect is provided. This plant treatment composition comprises, dissolved or dispersed in water, an anionic exogenous chemical substance such as the herbicide N-phosphonomethylglycine, together with (i) one or more alkylether surfactants each having the formula R. sup. 12 --O--(CH. sub. 2 CH. sub. 2 O). sub. n ((CHR). sub. 2 O). sub. m --R. sup. 13 wherein R. sup. 12 is an aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group having about 16 to about 22 carbon atoms, n is an average number of about 5 to about 100, m is an average number of 0 to about 5, one R in each --((CHR). sub. 2 O)-- group is hydrogen and the other R is methyl, and R. sup. 13 is a hydrogen, C. sub. 1-4 alkyl or C. sub.

US Patent:

56144687, Mar 25, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/472152

Inventors:

Richard M. Kramer - Chesterfield MO
Thomas M. Day - Creve Coeur MO
Ralph E. Lindemann - St. Louis MO
Jane L. Gillespie - University City MO

Assignee:

Monsanto Company - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

A01N 5702

US Classification:

504206

Abstract:

Solid N-phosphonomethylglycine or glyphosate acid is charged to a substantially closed system and then partially pre-dried as by continuously recirculating it through a hot air grinding/drying system. A cooled solution of ammonium hydroxide is then metered into and reacted with the partially dried glyphosate acid as it is being recirculated in a manner such that the moisture content of the reaction mass so formed is continuously decreased throughout the reaction. Following completion of the ammonium hydroxide addition, a powdered reaction mass/product having a moisture content of about 2 wt. % is formed. Significantly, at this stage, the ammonium glyphosate product is suitable for end use and it can be readily dissolved in water and immediately used as a herbicide or plant growth regulator. More importantly, however, this product is capable due to its highly sorptive character to be further formulated into a product exceptionally highly loaded with adjuvants and particularly surfactants.