| NSF Org: |
TI Translational Impacts |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 7, 2016 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 6, 2018 |
| Award Number: | 1632258 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Benaiah Schrag
bschrag@nsf.gov (703)292-8323 TI Translational Impacts TIP Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2016 |
| End Date: | November 30, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $745,146.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $753,584.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2018 = $8,438.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
225 STEDMAN ST LOWELL MA US 01851-2792 (978)735-4438 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
225 Stedman Street,Unit 23 Lowell MA US 01851-2792 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | SBIR Phase II |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001819DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.084 |
ABSTRACT
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project is to help protect the environment by replacing existing toxic and environmentally-hazardous corrosion inhibitors used as lubricant additives with more eco-friendly alternatives. Release of lubricants (for example from loss during use, improper disposal of waste lubricants, accidental spillage, or off-shore drilling) has the potential to cause damage to the environment. Awareness of the toxic nature of current lubricant additives is a driver to develop new technologies for more environmentally friendly products. This project addresses the development of novel, environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor lubricant additives. Besides the environmental benefits of the new technology, the lubricant industry may also benefit by expansion into environmentally sensitive market sectors (for example, marine lubricants used on ships) through the use of safer and less toxic additives. The new products also utilize non-petroleum based raw materials from renewable and sustainable resources, thus reducing dependence on petroleum. Apart from being non-toxic and environmentally friendly, the proposed products are also expected to be more effective inhibitors as compared to the products currently used in the market.
The objectives of this Phase II research project are to design and develop environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors providing high performance while meeting the eco-toxicological requirements of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL), including bio-lubricants. The use of corrosion inhibitors in lubricants is essential to protect metal surfaces. Unfortunately, many commercial corrosion inhibitors present issues with aquatic toxicity, persistence in the environment, and/or bioaccumulation that render them unacceptable for use in EAL or bio-lubricants. Awareness of the eco- toxicological problems of current inhibitors and the implementation of new regulations mandating the use of EAL in certain applications (e.g. marine lubricants) has created an urgent need in the market to replace existing products and the opportunity to develop new technologies for corrosion inhibition. This proposal addresses the key steps involved in the product development of corrosion inhibitors for biolubricants; namely (a) molecular design optimization, (b) cost-effective process scale up, (c) preparation of pound scale of lead products in the laboratory set-up; as identified in Phase I, (c) assessment of eco-toxicological properties using industry standard OECD/ASTM test methods and structure activity relationship (SAR) calculations, and (d) product storage stability testing.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
DEVELOPMENT OF MACROMOLECULAR CORROSION INHIBITORS BASED ON RENEWABLE RESOURCES FOR BIOLUBRICANTS AND LUBRICANTS
Polnox Corporation
225 Stedman Street, Unit 23
Lowell, MA 01851 USA
With funding from the National Science Foundation's SBIR Phase II program, Polnox has developed multifunactional macromolecular corrosion inhibitors based on renewable resources that are useful during the formulation of biolubricants and lubricants. This technology based product is a safer product. Corrosion affects every industry sector, from infrastructure and transportation to production and manufacturing. It therefore demands critical attention, as its cost constitutes a significant part of major economies, as well as human health and safety. Materials and corrosion control technologies are necessary to mitigate safety issues arising from product failure, as well as the excessive cost of replacement of corroded parts. Corrosion inhibitors are normally added to the composition of finished products like lubricants and fuels, paints and coatings to protect against corrosion. Environmental risks associated with commercial corrosion inhibitors are forcing customers to seek more environmentally friendly products. These environmental risks are having a negative impact on the global market growth of corrosion inhibitors, projected to be ca. $6.2 billion today. Also, these challenges present an immense opportunity for new technologies to meet the demand for more environmentally friendly products. To mitigate the risks associated with currently used corrosion inhibitors, Polnox Corporation, has developed novel and eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor technology using sustainable materials without compromising its performance. More importantly it does not contain any of the environmentally harmful inorganic species like Zn, Pb, Sn, P, Cr, Si, B, S, As, etc. This new technology has facilitated its molecular design to work as a multifunctional additive as a rust inhibitor, a corrosion inhibitor, a demulsifier, and an anti-wear. This feature replaces four essential additives which are not necessarily safer ones by one eco-friendly additive product. This is not only cost savings but allows to be chemical efficiency by using fewer chemicals while formulating lubricants. Polnox is now seizing this opportunity through its demonstrated new material composition technology, Macromolecular Corrosion Inhibitors (McIn). McInadditive is envisioned to be a disruptive technology based product that adds value to the supply chains of lubricant market sectors.
Last Modified: 03/15/2019
Modified by: Ashok L Cholli
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