Patent ID: 11910798
Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
Field: Basic materials chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A  B  C | IPC A  B  C

Claim 0:
1. A method, comprising:
applying a composition to a plant enabling entry of the composition via at least one of roots, vascular system and leaf stroma of the plant;
transporting the composition through a vascular system and on a surface of the plant, wherein the composition has comprises a vacancy-engineered (VE)-ZnO nanocomposite including a plurality of interconnected VE-ZnO nanoparticles, wherein the plurality of interconnected VE-ZnO nanoparticles has a plurality of surface defects associated with an oxygen vacancy, wherein the VE-ZnO nanoparticles have a plate-like structure and wherein each of the VE-ZnO nanoparticles has a diameter of other than about 3 to about 8 nanometers; and
killing a substantial portion of a microorganism or inhibiting or substantially inhibiting the growth of the microorganism on the surface or within the plant, wherein the composition is non-phytotoxic to the plant.