Multi-user Equipment approved in grant 22/03219-2: Zetasizer Advance Lab (Blue Label)

• Grant number: 23/00541-3
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: March 31, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Renato Grillo
• Grantee: Renato Grillo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/03219-2 - Development of multifunctional hybrid supraparticles as potential sustainable material for agrochemicals, AP.PNGP.PI

Abstract

The development of several colloidal systems of agricultural inputs has been observed in recent years, ranging from inorganic nanoparticles to organic nanocarriers, which can provide an improvement in the control of the release of pesticides and fertilizers to agriculture. Although these strategies can reduce application doses and increase the efficiency of use of agricultural inputs in the field, recent studies are looking for more specific nanocarriers with low toxicity and leaching in the environment. In this context, the proposal of this project consists in the development of new systems for the release of more sustainable agricultural inputs, through the manufacture of supraparticles (SPs). SPs are complex structures formed by colloidal particles with a size normally on a micrometer scale, which due to the coupling and colocalization of the numerous nanoparticles in their structure, it is possible to obtain materials with completely different functionalities from the initial precursors. Therefore, in this project, different nanoagrochemicals (organic and inorganic) will be synthesized and will serve as precursors for the manufacture of new SPs with the objective of building intelligent structures, whose release of ions, molecules or nanoparticles can be synergistic and more sustainable to agriculture. Furthermore, disintegration and leaching studies of SPs will be carried out in water and soil, in addition to the evaluation of synergistic and toxicity effects in different plant cultures, thus making it possible to compare SPs with their isolated nanoparticles. Thus, with this project we seek to develop more sustainable and intelligent materials for agriculture, contribute to the dissemination of knowledge in this area, as well as consolidate a research group in this area of advanced materials at the Faculty of Engineering of Ilha Solteira, UNESP. (AU)