2022 Annual Meeting
The Functionalization of Cellulose Nanocrystals for Agricultural Applications
In recent years, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have become notable as a biodegradable, non-toxic, and readily modifiable nanomaterial that can replace traditional materials in areas where a âgreenerâ option is desired. A novel area of interest for CNC is as a carrier of chemicals for agricultural applications. The modified CNC can be used to enable direct delivery of agricultural agents and growth regulators to plant cells and reduce the spraying of excess herbicides that contaminate groundwater and disrupt ecosystems. However, previous studies have shown that the degree of functionalization for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the surface of CNC is low due to side reactions and unfavorable reaction conditions. The purpose of this investigation is to attach 2,4-D onto the surface of CNC and determine the degree of substitution necessary for reliable detection and the desired effect on plant cell growth. Reactions were conducted with varying initial concentration to determine the degree of substitution needed to detect 2,4-D and to sufficiently affect plant cell growth. Products were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), elemental analysis, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Results from this investigation demonstrated that changes in reaction procedure and water content both affected the final degree of substitution of 2,4-D on the surface of CNC. Lowering the water content by increasing the initial concentration was found to reduce the number of side reactions occurring in the solution, increasing the degree of substitution. This research demonstrated how small changes in reaction conditions could affect the resulting conjugated nanomaterial. Future research will build upon this work to further increase the degree of substitution of 2,4-D on the surface of CNC.