Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.0
5.0
Journals
Polymers
Special Issues
Application of Polymeric Nanocomposites in Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions
share announcement

Application of Polymeric Nanocomposites in Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 14191

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marcia Regina de Moura Aouada

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Grupo de Compósitos e Nanocompósitos Híbridos (GCNH), School of Engineering, São Paulo State University (Unesp), 15385-000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil
Interests: nanocomposite; packaging; edible films; bacterial cellulose; polymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Fauze A. Aouada

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Grupo de Compósitos e Nanocompósitos Híbridos (GCNH), São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Engineering, 15385-000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil
Interests: polymers; pesticides; hydrogels; composites; controlled release

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The application of environmentally safe nanocomposite materials has increased massively in recent years. Thus, interest in the study of natural polymers applied to improve agriculture by reusing waste as a source of raw material has increased significantly as well. Applications can vary, such as materials for active food packaging, materials with a controlled release of pesticides or fertilizers, and nanostructures applied as reinforcement for more sustainable packaging, among others.

The scope of this Special Issue includes the synthesis, processing, and characterization of novel nanocomposites based on natural polymers with potential interest in agriculture. We encourage submissions where practical applications are presented, utilizing byproducts with sustainable preparation techniques. 

Prof. Dr. Marcia Regina de Moura Aouada
Prof. Dr. Fauze A. Aouada 
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • natural polymers
  • nanocomposite
  • agriculture
  • reused material

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 4595 KiB  
Article
Studies on Agrochemical Controlled Release Behavior of Copolymer Hydrogel with PVA Blends of Natural Polymers and Their Water-Retention Capabilities in Agricultural Soil
by Fawzi Habeeb Jabrail, Maysam Salih Mutlaq and Roua’a Kassim Al-Ojar
Polymers 2023, 15(17), 3545; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173545 - 25 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 911
Abstract
Agricultural technical development relies exclusively on the effective delivery of agrochemicals and water to plants and on reducing the harmful effects of agrochemicals on useful organisms in the soil. In this study, super-absorbent hydrogels were prepared in the form of microspheres using gum [...] Read more.
Agricultural technical development relies exclusively on the effective delivery of agrochemicals and water to plants and on reducing the harmful effects of agrochemicals on useful organisms in the soil. In this study, super-absorbent hydrogels were prepared in the form of microspheres using gum Arabic (GA), which was copolymerized once with chitosan (CS) and once with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA). To impart mechanical strength to the hydrogel microspheres, a covalent cross-linker (N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA)) was used for the PVA/GA hydrogel, and an ionic cross-linker (sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP)) was used for the CS/GA hydrogel. The prepared PVA/GA-CH and CS/GA-PH hydrogel microspheres showed different degrees of swelling (DSs) in the following solution media: deionized water (DW), river water (RW), and buffered solutions (pH 4; pH 9). The PVA/GA-CH hydrogel microspheres showed a maximum DS of 84 g/g in the RW, while the CS/GA-PH hydrogel microspheres showed a maximum DS of 63 g/g in the buffered solution at a pH 9. The water-retention capabilities of the hydrogels were studied using a mixture of 0.5% (w/w) hydrogel microspheres in agricultural soil; the composite showed an additional 20 days of water retention in comparison with a control sample consisting of soil alone. The hydrogels were loaded with urea, which is an important fertilizer in the field of agriculture. The PVA/GA-CH hydrogel microspheres showed a maximum loading percentage (Lmax%) of 89% (w/w), while the CS/GA-PH hydrogel microspheres showed an Lmax% = 79.75% (w/w) for urea. The urea-release behaviors of the hydrogel microspheres were studied under different release media and temperature conditions. In practice, the PVA/GA-CH hydrogel microspheres showed a better release profile in the RW at 10 °C, while the CS/GA-PH hydrogel microspheres showed a more controlled release in media at a pH 9 and at 30 °C. The urea-loaded microspheres, aside from those following the release, were characterized via FTIR and SEM. In contrast, virgin microspheres were characterized using XRD,1H NMR, (TGA and DSC), and the maximum degree of swelling, in addition to being subjected to SEM and FTIR analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Polymeric Nanocomposites in Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 3719 KiB  
Article
Combining Chitosan Nanoparticles and Garlic Essential Oil as Additive Fillers to Produce Pectin-Based Nanocomposite Edible Films
by Vanessa Solfa dos Santos, Marcos Vinicius Lorevice, Graziela Solferini Baccarin, Fabíola Medeiros da Costa, Renan da Silva Fernandes, Fauze A. Aouada and Márcia Regina de Moura
Polymers 2023, 15(10), 2244; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15102244 - 9 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2320
Abstract
Edible films were produced by combining a pectin (PEC) matrix with chitosan nanopar-ticle (CSNP), polysorbate 80 (T80), and garlic essential oil (GEO) as an antimicrobial agent. CSNPs were analyzed for their size and stability, and the films, throughout their contact angle, scanning electron [...] Read more.
Edible films were produced by combining a pectin (PEC) matrix with chitosan nanopar-ticle (CSNP), polysorbate 80 (T80), and garlic essential oil (GEO) as an antimicrobial agent. CSNPs were analyzed for their size and stability, and the films, throughout their contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical and thermal properties, water vapor transmission rate, and antimicrobial activity. Four filming-forming suspensions were investigated: PGEO (control); PGEO@T80; PGEO@CSNP; PGEO@T80@CSNP. The compositions are included in the methodology. The average particle size was 317 nm, with the zeta potential reaching +21.4 mV, which indicated colloidal stability. The contact angle of the films exhibited values of 65°, 43°, 78°, and 64°, respec-tively. These values showed films with variations in hydrophilicity. In antimicrobial tests, the films containing GEO showed inhibition only by contact for S. aureus. For E. coli, the inhibition occurred in films containing CSNP and by direct contact in the culture. The results indicate a promising al-ternative for designing stable antimicrobial nanoparticles for application in novel food packaging. Although, it still shows some deficiencies in the mechanical properties, as demonstrated in the elongation data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Polymeric Nanocomposites in Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4154 KiB  
Article
Slow Release and Water Retention Performance of Poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/Fulvic Acid/Oil Shale Semicoke Superabsorbent Composites
by Yongsheng Wang, Yongfeng Zhu, Yan Liu, Bin Mu and Aiqin Wang
Polymers 2022, 14(9), 1719; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14091719 - 22 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2042
Abstract
In order to achieve the low cost and multifunction of superabsorbent composites, poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/fulvic acid/oil shale semicoke (PAMFS) were prepared by free radical copolymerization of fulvic acid (FA), oil shale semicoke (OSSC), acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM). The characterization results [...] Read more.
In order to achieve the low cost and multifunction of superabsorbent composites, poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/fulvic acid/oil shale semicoke (PAMFS) were prepared by free radical copolymerization of fulvic acid (FA), oil shale semicoke (OSSC), acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM). The characterization results revealed that FA and OSSC were involved in the construction of a three-dimensional (3D) polymeric network via hydrogen bonding and covalent bonding. The water absorbency of PAMFS in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution were 724 and 98 g/g, respectively. The FA slow release of PAMFS in distilled water and soil was achieved due to the interaction between FA and the functional groups of polymer matrix by hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds. Furthermore, the potted experiment indicated that the addition of PAMFS to soil can significantly promote plant growth compared with the pure soil, regardless of water stress. Therefore, this superabsorbent composite showed an excellent water absorption and salt resistance performance, as well as nice slow release performance. It has a broad application prospect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Polymeric Nanocomposites in Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2108 KiB  
Article
Performance of Gelatin Films Reinforced with Cloisite Na+ and Black Pepper Essential Oil Loaded Nanoemulsion
by Tascila F. da S. Saranti, Pamela T. S. Melo, Miguel A. Cerqueira, Fauze A. Aouada and Marcia R. de Moura
Polymers 2021, 13(24), 4298; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13244298 - 9 Dec 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8113
Abstract
The concern about consuming eco-friendly products has motivated research in the development of new materials. Therefore, films based on natural polymers have been used to replace traditional polymers. This study consists of a production of films based on gelatin reinforced with black pepper [...] Read more.
The concern about consuming eco-friendly products has motivated research in the development of new materials. Therefore, films based on natural polymers have been used to replace traditional polymers. This study consists of a production of films based on gelatin reinforced with black pepper essential oil-loaded nanoemulsions and Cloisite Na+. The films were characterized by water vapor permeability, mechanical and thermal properties, surface contact angle, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that the films containing the nanoemulsion have higher permeability values and an increase in their mechanical resistance. The addition of nanoclay contributed to an increase in the surface hydrophobicity of the film and an increase in the tensile strength, at break, by about 150%. The addition of essential oil nanoemulsions led to an increase in thermal stability. The presence of clay dispersion contributed to the formation of a surface that was slightly rougher and grainier. The addition of the black pepper essential oil nanoemulsion resulted in an increase in porosity of the gelatin matrix. Through X-ray diffraction analysis, it was possible to conclude that both the polymeric gelatin matrix and the essential oils nanoemulsion are intercalated with the clay dispersion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Polymeric Nanocomposites in Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop