Agrohydrogel made of whey reaches the grand finale at Transfera Technology Day 2022

Zlín, 10 November 2022 Developed by scientists at the Centre of Polymer Systems, Agro Hydrogel – a product made from renewable raw materials and designed to increase water retention in soil – has been shortlisted for the grand finale at Transfer Technology Day 2022. Out of 28 entries, 11 technologies have been selected by the expert panel.

The event takes place on 1 December 2022 at Lichtenštejnský palác, Prague. “Our hydrogel is characterised by its ability to re-bind and release large amounts of water compared to its initial weight, thus ensuring water availability to plants, especially during dry periods. All of the raw materials that form part of the hydrogel formulation are natural and easy-to-degrade ingredients, with low process costs compared to conventional, commercially available, polyacrylate-based hydrogels,” explains researcher Dr. Silvie Duřpeková.
“Acid whey, a by-product of the dairy industry, is the main component of this hydrogel; as using acid whey is rather not any cost-effective alternative, it is often treated as waste. Consequently, using the material in hydrogel production can help to minimise waste and reduce disposal costs. Thanks to its rich nutritional composition, whey can also contribute to increasing the availability of nutrients in the soil for plants,” adds Prof. Vladimír Sedlařík, CPS Director and garant of the research group.
The Transfera Technology Day competition has been organised by Transfera.cz since 2020 with the support of CzechInvest and other partners. A national platform, Transfera.cz facilitates mutually beneficial relationships between academia and companies and supports the development of innovation in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the Czech Republic. The event aims to link Czech science and technology resources with the business community, creating favourable conditions for cooperation. Through this event, research organisations can offer their work to investment partners who can assess the commercial potential and the state of readiness of the presented projects.
https://www.transfera.cz/o-akci/transfera-technology-day-2022/

https://zpravy.utb.cz/2022/06/29/ekologicky-setrne-hydrogely-ze-syrovatky-pomohou-v-boji-proti-suchu/