I-Corps: Iridium Complexes for Electrocatalysis

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project spans the petrochemical, medical, and energy industries. The protective coatings developed in this project will allow for safer storage, transportation, and use of corrosive chemicals, as well as the containment and treatment of hazardous wastes. These coatings may also find application to medical instruments and devices, allowing longer lifetimes and lower risks of contamination. The same coatings will also be useful in improved electrochemical systems such as fuel cells and electrolyzers, which will allow for effective use of renewable energy. Because this technology allows the deposition of iridium oxide coatings that are only a few atoms thick, the virtues of iridium oxides can be imbued to surfaces using fractions of a percent of the iridium required by currently employed methods. This will improve the applicability of this rare, and otherwise cost-prohibitive element.This I-Corps project starts with a technology that allows the room-temperature deposition of iridium oxide coatings from a molecular organometallic precursor dissolved in water. The coatings are only a few atoms thick, but have been shown to be as impervious as iridium oxide coatings 500 times thicker, and more active than the thicker coatings as electrocatalysts for the oxidation of water and small organic molecules. Additionally, the coatings are electrically conductive. During this I-corps project, the team will gather information from potential customers to develop products that will best take advantage of this ultra-thin, protective and catalytically active coating. It is envisioned that this will be a transformative technology in some sectors, allowing devices and systems with unprecedented functionality and durability.