Background

Every year the polymer industry generates billions of pounds of polymer materials via standardized methods of free radical polymerization. However, this traditional synthetic route involves the use of high energy UV light which not only makes the process difficult to control but also both add tremendous cost and energy expenses on an industrial scale. There is a massive need to replace this traditional method with something more sustainable, reliable, controlled, lower-cost and energy efficient at an industrial scale.

Technology Overview

A team of researchers at the North Carolina State University has demonstrated a novel photoactivation mechanism for free radical polymerization where low-energy visible light (yellow or green light) is used to cause homomolecular triplet triplet annihilation in ZnTPP which initiates the radical chain polymerization in pure monomer solutions and replaces the traditional UV light that is used currently. This novel process has shown to form well-defined macro- and microscopic polymer gel objects. The range of the excited state potentials promises that this triplet fusion is applicable to most free radical polymerizations.

For more information see: https://www.cell.com/chem/fulltext/S2451-9294(20)30429-0

Benefits

Translating the traditional UV-light based free radical polymerization process to the visible light regime has been coercing the researchers into using numerous additives and co-initiators to facilitate the radical generation. This new method has provided new avenue where visible light photons can be harnessed to achieve radical polymerization without any additives and co-initiators! The electron transfer throughout the polymerization process is more efficient and controlled. This new low-cost method allows for superior control, reliability and greater efficiency over the polymerization process, while employing more gentle and sustainable conditions.

Applications

The innovators’ photoactivation mechanism for polymer production has scores of industrial applications. Most notably, this process can substitute the traditional manufacturing of macroscopic plastic products, such as engineered polymers and coatings, as well as high precision microscopic specialty plastics, including microfluidics, needles, and optics. The process promises the manufacturing of specialty hydrogels with particular surfaces for use in the environmental and biomedical domains.

Opportunity

N.C. State University is seeking an industry partner who may be interested in this green, reliable, controlled, lower-cost and energy efficient method for radical polymerization.

A New Method for Free Radical Photopolymerization and Polymer Production that is Green, Reliable, Controlled, Lower-Cost and Energy Efficient

Patents

IP Status

Seeking