Micronutrient simultaneous release from nanogels based on polyetheramines and bisepoxide

• Grant number: 22/06507-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2022
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Ferreira Molina
• Grantee: Heber Eduardo Andrada
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06552-1 - TASTYGEL: sustainable release of nutrients by smart micro- and nanogels based on polyetheramines-bisepoxide for Agriculture purposes, AP.JP2
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/10293-0 - "Amine-epoxide Nanogels: Revolutionizing Plant Biofortification with Selenium", BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The applications of polymeric materials in controlled release formulations has increased considerably in recent years. Controlled release relates the use of polymer-containing agents of agricultural activity which are released into the environment of interest at relatively constant rates over prolonged period of time to avoid the risk of the reagents being washed away by rain or irrigation. Here we propose a new strategy for controlled release of micronutrents based on polyetheramines and bisepoxide empolyed as both encapsulation gels and efficient release sytem. To produce the micro- and nanogels, we will use commerciallyavailable reagents based on aliphatic polyetheramines and bisepoxide. In particular, the use ofJeffamine® ED and T series with different Molar weight (Mw) and diepoxide.The gels will be generated by a facile one-pot process through aggregation polymerization ofan in situ formed polymer. Moreover, this metodology will allows us to fine-size-tuning thegel particles from the nanometer to the micron scale, capable of controlling of absorbed watercontent into the gels, simply by adjsuting the monomer concentration and nature -hydrophilic/hydrophobic. The influence of Mw, polymer nature and backbone arrengementwill be in deep studied for both the prepration of the gels and incorporation/release of thenutrients. Furthermore, an invetigation of some biologically relevant stimuli as temperature,pH, and oxidation will be evaluated in the release of the micronutrients. The possibility ofmodulating the profile and release kinetics of nutrients from these gels motivates theirunderstanding both from the conceptual point of view and by the possibility of preparing newmultifunctional materials for agriculture purposes. (AU)