Novel Aphid-Repellent Fiber Mats Based on Poly(lactic acid)-Containing Ionic Liquids

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Entomology

Background:

• Biopolymer-based repellents are crucial for sustainable agriculture and public health.
• Developing effective and eco-friendly pest control methods is essential for a growing global population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel aphid-repellent electrospun mats using epoxidized ionic liquids (ILs) covalently bonded to poly(lactic acid) (PLA).
• To evaluate the efficacy of these novel materials against the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of di-, tri-, and tetra-epoxidized imidazolium ionic liquids.
• Incorporation of ILs into PLA solutions at various weight fractions (3, 5, 10 wt%).
• Fabrication of electrospun nonwoven mats and characterization of their microstructure, thermal, mechanical, and hydrophobic properties.
• Evaluation of the aphid-repellent activity of the developed mats against Acyrthosiphon pisum.

Main Results:

• IL incorporation reduced fiber diameters while maintaining the mechanical integrity and porous structure of the PLA mats.
• Diepoxidized ILs showed an attractive effect on pea aphids.
• Tri- and tetra-epoxidized ILs demonstrated significant repellent effects against pea aphids.
• The study established a structure-activity relationship for ILs in aphid repellency.

Conclusions:

• Epoxidized ionic liquids covalently bonded to PLA can create effective aphid-repellent materials.
• Tailoring the epoxidation degree of ILs allows for control over their interaction with aphids, enabling repellent applications.
• This approach offers an environmentally friendly strategy to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and petroleum-based polymers in agriculture.