Nature-inspired chemistry for industrial applications
Machines of all shapes and sizes are the lifeblood of society – whether heavy machinery for construction or motors and cars for personal use, they all have one thing in common…the need for protection and lubrication. The equipment that drives society needs protection, typically in the form of oils and greases. And a major component of these lubricant systems are extreme pressure (EP) additives. These additives give protection against metal wear at high pressures due to extreme loads or high torques and rpms. However, these additives are based on sulfur chemistry and are derived from highly flammable and toxic hydrogen sulfide gas and petrochemical refinery byproducts. What if a safer, more effective means of developing these materials could be made, which could also be safer for the planet?
STATUS:
Current Project
Sustainable, responsible industrial development
This is what SPARC is setting out to do. We feel that industrial advancements do not have to be at odds with environmental responsibility, we can develop superior materials through better chemistry. And we’re getting our inspiration from Nature! Using synthetic biology tools, we can exploit Nature’s reaction pathways to accomplish this…and make sustainable, environmentally friendly additives in the process.
Innovative Research & Development
At SPARC, we feel that long-term innovative research doesn’t have to be fundamental and academic based. We need to be able to bridge fundamental research into commercialisable product development. Project Phoenix is taking synthetic biology approaches and targeting industrial chemistry manufacturing. By using the tools Nature uses to manufacture materials, perhaps we can manufacture our chemicals in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach. Innovation model off of Nature.
Scale Up Technologies
Developing cutting edge technologies is only half of the equation – we still need to be able to produce these technologies at scale for production. This is where our research partners and our sibling companies play major roles in our research. By working with our manufacturing sibling company (Harrison Manufacturing), we can leverage their capabilities and scale the technology to be mass produced in-house. Tailoring the IP from the onset with industrial scale-up needs in mind.
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