Tonnegel™
Tonnegel™ is an attapulgite-based rheology modifier that prevents settling and phase separation in agricultural liquid formulations and seed treatment systems.
Its unique thixotropic properties allow formulations to flow easily during application while maintaining structure at rest, ensuring uniform dispersion of nutrients and active ingredients even in complex systems.
By forming a stable colloidal network, Tonnegel™ enhances formulation stability, improves handling and processing, and delivers consistent performance across a wide range of agricultural applications.
Sourced from Clariant’s own mineral reserves in Florida and Georgia, Tonnegel™ offers reliable quality, supply security, and consistent performance.
Product Information
Enhanced suspension and stability
- Prevents sedimentation and phase separation in liquid systems
- Maintains homogeneous distribution of active ingredients
Thixotropic flow behavior
- Enables smooth pumping and spraying
- Builds viscosity at rest to stabilize formulations
Versatile formulation compatibility
- Can partially or fully replace traditional suspension agents such as gums or sepiolites
- Suitable for multi-component formulations
Improved shelf life and consistency
- Stabilizes formulations over time
- Ensures reproducible performance batch-to-batch
Easy dispersion and low residue
- Disperses efficiently in liquid systems
(Mg,Al)5Si8O20.4H2O
Tonnegel™ is a highly versatile solution across multiple agricultural segments:
Liquid Agricultural Formulations
Tonnegel™ is widely used as an anti-settling agent in:
- Suspension fertilizers — where nutrient particle homogeneity directly impacts agronomic performance.
- Liquid pesticides and herbicides — ensuring active ingredient distribution is uniform at the moment of application.
- Nutrient-rich slurry systems — where high solid loads require robust suspension stability.
Industrial Seed Treatment (Film Coating)
In seed treatment systems, Tonnegel™ ensures that nutrients, pigments, crop protection agents, and biological inoculants remain evenly distributed in the coating slurry. This translates to uniform coverage per seed and consistent agronomic performance across the treated batch.
Liquid Animal Feed
Tonnegel™ is also applicable in mineral and nutritional suspensions for liquid animal feed, where stable dispersion of micronutrients and feed additives is required throughout storage and dosing.
The Tonnegel™ portfolio includes different grades tailored to formulation needs:
- Tonnegel™ 350 – High-performance gel grade for demanding suspension systems
- Tonnegel™ 40 / 50 – Fine particle grades for improved dispersion and stability
- Tonnegel™ 30 – Versatile option for general applications
Grade selection should be based on formulation requirements, desired viscosity profile, processing conditions, and compatibility with other active ingredients. Contact Clariant’s technical team for formulation guidance.
Q: What does ‘thixotropic’ mean and why does it matter for agricultural formulations?
A: Thixotropic means a material becomes less viscous when subjected to shear stress (such as stirring, pumping, or spraying) and recovers its viscosity when at rest. In agricultural formulations, this is highly desirable: it allows the product to flow easily through pumps and nozzles during application, while maintaining suspension stability and preventing settling when stored in tanks or containers.
Q: Can Tonnegel™ replace xanthan gum or other biopolymer suspension agents?
A: Yes. Tonnegel™ is specifically designed as a full or partial replacement for conventional suspension agents including xanthan gum, guar gum, and sepiolite-based systems. Its mineral origin makes it less susceptible to microbial degradation and provides more consistent rheological performance across temperature ranges — common limitations of biopolymer-based systems.
Q: Is Tonnegel™ compatible with biological seed treatments?
A: Tonnegel™ has broad compatibility with multi-component seed treatment systems, including those containing biological inoculants. However, compatibility should always be validated through formulation testing, particularly for sensitive microbial strains or high-concentration biological products.
Q: Where is the attapulgite for Tonnegel™ sourced?
A: Tonnegel™ is produced from attapulgite (palygorskite) clay minerals sourced exclusively from Clariant’s own mining operations in Florida and Georgia, USA. This vertical integration ensures consistent raw material quality, supply reliability, and traceability.
