Entry Date:
July 29, 2015

Materials Extraction for Global Challenges Sustainable Fertilizer Research


Research is articulated on several levels. Within the traditional avenues of materials science we are investigating the leaching performance of several affordable and widely available mineral sources. We use both stirred and flow through systems for such characterization.

Within more innovative avenues, we explore the synthesis of new materials that can release the right nutrients at the right rate needed by crops to grow. Our processing methods are devised to minimize the number of unit operations, the amount of chemical consumed as well as water. We strive to incorporate chemical elements that are beneficial for the soils or the plants, and derive the optimal process parameters to achieve microstructures that deliver the best performance. We are also developing a new set of experimental microfluidic tools to investigate and understand soil processes. We extensively collaborate with government and private sponsors, particularly in Brazil, to test out our materials in the field. Our research findings are framed in a broad context of economic and social issues.