Project : ТR 34001
 
Project title:

THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLASSES WITH CONTROLLED IONS RELEASE FOR APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE AND MEDICINE
 
Duration:                  2011 – 2014
Financed by:            Ministry of  Еducation and Science
Institution :               Institution for Technology of Nuclear and Other Mineral raw Materials, Belgrade,
                                   Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade,
                                   Faculty of Agriculture, Zemun
 
Project leader:         Ph.D  Tosic Mihajlo, research fellow
 
Scope of the Project:
 
The aim of this project is the development of new generation of materials based on multi-component phosphate glasses applicable as the nutrients for vegetable cultures and as  the resorbable materials for application in medicine.

The advantage of these materials is that the glasses are flexible on changes of chemical composition that enables an addition of new components in different quantities and in such a way the mechanism and kinetic of dissolution process can be designed. Similar compositions may be obtained with amorphous (glasses) or ordered crystalline structure (glass-ceramics) that opens additional possibilities for adjusting their properties. Moreover, the self-regulation of dissolution process carried out and the rates of the released components equalized with consumed ones and in such a way an unacceptable accumulation or deficiency of these components can be eliminated. They effect positively on nitrogen fixation process in the soil  that is a key condition for microflora development. Such affect is influenced by formation of microelement clusters at surface of glass granules. The slow-release glasses are good materials for nutrition of algae colonies and bacteria in the case of biological protection of the plants and  other application for eco- engineering. 

Also, the medicine needs the materials which can be resorbed for a long period of time. As implant materials used the patient trauma can be alleviated, the capacity for human body recovering increases, the need for repeated operation is avoided and all medical costs decreases.  The materials based on these glasses are appropriate candidates to meet such requirements.

In this project the development and obtaining of phosphate glasses and glass-ceramics with controlled ions release based on two or  more glass network formers and with addition of microelements ( Fe, Mn, Co, Mo, Zn, Cu, Se) for application as nutrients for vegetable cultures (cabbage, cucumber, carrot, tomato, pepper, etc) is planned. The research will include also, the materials based on glasses which are resorbable in human body.

 
Researchers:
 

Institute for Technology of Nuclear and Other Mineral Raw Materials, (ITNMS),Belgrade
Name and Family Name	Title	Research months.
Dr Mihajlo Tošić	Principal research fellow	9
Dr Vladimir Živanović	Research fellow	6
Mr Srđan Matijašević	Research associate	6
Jelena Nikolić	Research associate	6
Snežana Zildžović	Research associate	12
Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade
Dr Snežana Grujić	Assistant professor	2
Sonja Ždrale	Research associate	6
Faculty of Agiculture, Belgrade
dr Ana Vujošević	Assistant	4