This experience was at the University of Puerto Rico in the NANO-materials processing laboratory.
The NANO-materials processing lab at UPRM is part of the general Engineering department and the only specialized laboratory with the equipment necessary for the synthesis, characterization and, development of nanotechnologies. The faculty at the NANO-materials processing specializes in the engineering of nanoparticles for their implementation in environmental science, health sciences, information science and thermoelectric fluids.
In here I had the experience of working under the expertise of Dr. Oscar Perales and his graduate student Angelica Quinones in the development, synthesis and characterization of Chitosan-based nanoparticles via methacrylic acid synthesis with a herbicide for their implementation in agricultural sciences.
In this research experience I gained deep knowledge of laboratory techniques including and not limited to:
- Methacrylic acid synthesis for chitosan-based nanoparticles
- High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Dialysis techniques for chitosan-based nanoparticles herbicide time-release studies
Also encountering troubleshooting in the following areas:
- Failed synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles due to low-temperature control
- Low-purity of chitosan nanoparticles due to excess of reactants in the synthesis solution
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