Exploring the Synthesis of Poly(aspartic) Acid Using Different Solvent Systems
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Shank
Location
Savannah Ballroom
Type of Research
On-going
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
College of Science & Mathematics
Department
Chemistry
Abstract
To increase crop production, many farming systems still rely heavily on pesticides that can damage ecosystems. As a more sustainable alternative, biostimulants, additives that assist in nutrient uptake by plants, can help reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. One category of biostimulants are amino acid-derived polymers which haven been shown to assist plant output. However promising, only low molecular weight species have been studied. To fill the knowledge gap, our goal is to synthesize polyaspartic acid (PAA) of high molecular weights by changing reaction conditions. Here, we present our initial exploration of reaction conditions to create a reproducible protocol. We analyzed each polymer using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) to determine what variables affect the molecular weight of PAA..
Program Description
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Start Date
4-21-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-21-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Keough, Samantha, "Exploring the Synthesis of Poly(aspartic) Acid Using Different Solvent Systems" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 7.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026A/2026A/7
Exploring the Synthesis of Poly(aspartic) Acid Using Different Solvent Systems
Savannah Ballroom
To increase crop production, many farming systems still rely heavily on pesticides that can damage ecosystems. As a more sustainable alternative, biostimulants, additives that assist in nutrient uptake by plants, can help reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. One category of biostimulants are amino acid-derived polymers which haven been shown to assist plant output. However promising, only low molecular weight species have been studied. To fill the knowledge gap, our goal is to synthesize polyaspartic acid (PAA) of high molecular weights by changing reaction conditions. Here, we present our initial exploration of reaction conditions to create a reproducible protocol. We analyzed each polymer using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) to determine what variables affect the molecular weight of PAA..
