Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) sugarcane bagasse composite for controlled release fertilizer

• Grant number: 17/06899-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Roselena Faez
• Grantee: Camila Gruber Chiaregato
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The development of chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the generation of harmful substances, based on concepts of green chemistry, has been the scope of many studies in academia and industry. Obtaining nutrient host materials used in agriculture for controlled release fertilizers in a sustainable manner is a growing and fundamental area for an agricultural country such as Brazil. The development of composites based on biodegradable polymer, PHB, with natural fibers, sugarcane bagasse, for controlled release of KNO3, can meet the demand. The materials will be thermal processed in an internal mixer coupled to a Haake torque rheometer and the temperature, time and shear parameters will be assessed. The materials will be characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The release tests will be carried out in deionized water and monitored periodically by flame photometry for K+ quantification. The results of structural and morphological characterization will be used towards better comprehension of mechanism and kinetics of the release. (AU)