| NSF Org: |
TI Translational Impacts |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 9, 2022 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 9, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2228848 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Jaime A. Camelio
jcamelio@nsf.gov (703)292-2061 TI Translational Impacts TIP Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2022 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $50,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $50,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1851 N RESEARCH DR BOWLING GREEN OH US 43403-4401 (419)372-2481 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
319 ADMINISTRATION BLDG BOWLING GREEN OH US 43403-0001 |
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Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | I-Corps |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| 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 I-Corps project is the development of eco-friendly compounds that can be used in photocuring systems. Photocuring is a ultraviolet (UV)-crosslinking technique to add firmness to materials including resins for semiconductors, material formulations for automotive coatings, and ophthalmic lenses. This technology is customizable for many industries through its efficient and tunable compound production. The technology has advantages over current methodologies as it features: a) cost and time savings; b) better safety during manufacturing; c) high performance standards; d) sustainable biobased systems; and e) suitablility as a substitute for current formulation processes.
This I-Corps project is based on the development of biomass-derived UV and visible light active compounds that can be employed for efficient radiation curing to produce high performance materials. Vibrant colors play a critical role in various chemical and biological processes. Translating these colors to curing technology is challenging as it requires rational manipulation of photochemical properties. This technology translates plant-based compounds that can be fine-tuned for radiation curing with both UV and visible light with a higher efficiency. Currently employed UV cure systems often suffers from surface tack, surface residue, migration (both at the surface of the material and into the air), high photoinitiator loading for formulations, coloring of the cured system, inefficient surface cure with light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or visible light, limitations on cure depth, and environmental concerns. These plant-based compounds have superior photochemical, photophysical and curing properties than the conventional compounds featuring similar chromophores.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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.
With the NSF-ICORPS funding, we were able to survey the landscape of environmentally friendly and sustainable Energy-Cure systems and its market potential. The customer discovery enabled us to assess the energy cure market, and the emerging demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly photo-initiating systems. We were able to conduct a total of more than 120+ customer discovery interviews, visit some of the companies in person to learn about the ground reality of implementing the technology and gain an in-depth understanding on the challenges encountered by the radiation curing industry. It became clear from our customer discovery interviews that radiation curing industry faces challenges related to sustainability along with lack of any viable bio-based curing systems affecting their supply chain. There is a strong demand for a novel system(s) that can effectively address issues such as surface tackiness, residue formation, material and air migration, and other related concerns. The NSF-ICORPS funding also enabled us to submit an NSF SBIR proposal through an Ohio based startup that was launched based on our patented energy cure technology. Developing a technology to address the prevailing challenges will enable us to position ourselves in the forefront of this technology in a vitally important rust-bult region of the US.
Last Modified: 12/27/2024
Modified by: Jayaraman Sivaguru
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