Influence of the surface limiting elasticity modulus on the impact behavior of droplets of difenoconazole-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles with associated SDS.

Abstract

The relation between the surface limiting elasticity modulus, ε0, of difenoconazole-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle (DF-MSN) formulations with associated SDS and the height of the first returning droplet impacting on cabbage and rice leaf surfaces was investigated. The surface dilational rheology properties were determined by means of surface tension relaxation. The impact of a droplet on the leaf surface was recorded with a high-speed camera. The surface limiting elasticity modulus, ε0, shows differences with different SDS concentrations. A positive correlation between droplet first rebound height and the surface limiting elasticity modulus, ε0, is observed. The pesticide droplet impact on the target leaf surface is a rather complex phenomenon, so the focus of this article is to establish a relationship between the surface limiting elasticity modulus, ε0, and droplet first rebound height. These findings introduce a chemical way to affect the impact behavior of pesticide droplets on target crop leaf surfaces, which may be of particular importance for pesticide spraying and crop protection, especially for hydrophobic and superhydrophobic target crops.