I-Corps: Commercialization of new anion-sensing materials

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This Innovation Corps proposal begins to translate basic science results from NSF-funded research into commercial applications in next generation, environmentally sustainable agriculture. The technology goal is the development of nitrate sensors for field applications in large-scale industrial agriculture, to monitor and control fertilizer utilization and nitrate pollutant generation from fertilizer usage. The overall goal is to simultaneously maximize agricultural productivity, optimize fertilizer usage and minimize environmental impacts resulting from fertilizer use. The proposed I-Corps funding will provide a 6-month effort to demonstrate proof-of-concept that proprietary compounds can be incorporated into a solid matrix (e.g., polymer thin films) to provide an optical readout that is sensitive for nitrate in the presence of other common interfering anions and natural organic matter.Preserving the environment and developing agricultural products that do not harm unintended targets were recently cited as grand challenges for the chemical sciences. This translational research will enable a team of entrepreneurs and scientists to evaluate a potential product that could reduce cost, energy usage and environmental damage in the multi-billion dollar per year agriculture business.