I-Corps: Enhanced Radiation Curing From Plant Derived Materials

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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.