Developing NMR spectroscopic methods to characterize polymer nanoparticles and their cargo

Vive Nano Inc. is a Toronto, ON based manufacturer of particle-form nanomaterials. The current primaryapplication of Vive Nano's proprietary nanoparticle technology is in increased delivery efficiency andenvironmental friendliness of active agents for the crop protection industry. An improved mechanisticdescription of the chemical changes occurring during nanoparticle production and the way in which activeingredients are loaded into them is required. Dr. Jan Rainey at Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS is an expertin nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy based characterization of materials of a similar nature.Modern NMR spectroscopy experiments and their analysis require both specialized infrastructure and expertpersonnel. Vive Nano does not currently have this expertise in house. As a direct follow up to discussions facilitated by an NSERC Interaction Grant, this Engage grant will allow initiation of this collaboration between Vive Nano and Dr. Rainey and his research group to develop methodology exploiting modern high-resolution NMR spectroscopy methods for answering of these key mechanistic questions regarding nanoparticle formation and loading. The results obtained and methodsdeveloped will improve Vive Nano's ability to design new nanoparticle formulations, ensure quality control ofexisting formulations and diversify in terms of active ingredients that may be loaded and delivered with theirtechnology. Expected benefits are both at the company level, allowing increasing of the number of personnelemployed, and at the level of improving crop yields and environmental responsibility of crop protection agentapplication.