Oil enhancers

The concept of surface energy and wetting is relevant to both aqueous and non-aqueous systems alike. Organically modified siloxane surfactants can lower the surface tensions of a variety of oils ranging from paraffinic to seed oils. Although the reduction is not as dramatic as seen with water, it can be enough to provide significant increases in the area covered by the oil droplets when applied to plant surfaces.

* - Not Recommended

To produce sultanas (raisins) from grapes, a mixture of an oil emulsion and potash is applied to bunches while they are on the vine to enhance the drying process. Their penetration remains uneven resulting in reduced quality though the mixture is applied using very large volumes of water. When BREAK-THRU^® OE 444 is added to the drying oil, penetration of bunches and hence wetting of grapes is improved dramatically. Additionally, because wetting has been improved, water volumes can be significantly decreased making the use of cumbersome wetting machines redundant (picture). Since the fruit quality is also improved, the production of sultanas using BREAK-THRU^® OE 444 as part of the spray mixture has become significantly more profitable for farmers.