End-Capped polyglyoxylates: Stimuli-Responsive coating for agricultural products

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This project involves a new class of biodegradable polymers that un-zip by an end-to-end mechanism selectively in response to stimuli. These polymers are stable and retain their properties in the absence of stimuli, but degrade rapidly in the presence of stimuli. Working with our industry partner, a multidisciplinary team of chemists, chemical engineers, biologists, and agronomists aim to exploit the unique properties of these "smart" polymers for the development of fertilizer coatings that will release nutrients selectively in response to the needs of plants. This project will involve the development of polymer capping groups that respond to chemical signals exuded by the roots of plants as well as the study and optimization of the polymers and their formulations in order to attain properties that are ideal for coatings. The degradation of the polymers in various environmental conditions will be studied to determine their suitability for fertilizer release and to understand their potential impacts on soil. With optimized coatings in hand, they will then be applied to urea fertilizer particles and the coated fertilizers will be evaluated both in controlled environments and in an agricultural field. Overall, the aim is to increase the efficiency of fertilizers, while at the same time reducing the harmful environmental effects associated with the leaching of agricultural chemicals into the water supply and into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.