Penn team solves problems by scratching the surface with new materials technology

Three years ago, Arjun Srinivas, Alex Mittal, and a team of University of Pennsylvania Materials Science and Engineering researchers were determined to not only develop a commercially viable technology for their thesis project, but to also find solutions to the real-world problems they encountered first hand. They were able to accomplish both goals by merely skimming the surface.

The team started by developing a technology that could address urgent water quality problems in developing countries by embedding silver nanoparticles, which are highly antimicrobial, into the interior surface of PVC pipes used to transport water to and within rural villages. Traditional technologies were not effective and too costly because they put the antimicrobial agents inside the bulk of the plastic, rather than the surface, wasting nearly all of the costly material and inhibiting the surface from performing its active antimicrobial properties.

“What we realized when we stepped back and looked at the technology we developed, was that the technology could embed almost any type of particle into almost any type of plastic,” says Srinivas. “We had in fact developed a platform for enhancing polymers with new functionalities.”

Today, the trademarked technology dubbed “Innlay” requires no changes to existing manufacturing processes and allows manufacturers to cost-effectively incorporate nanoscale or microscale active materials to surfaces of their products. Because it was designed with the constraints of the developing world, Innlay technology is far more efficient, consumes little energy, and results in ultra-high performance.

Srinivas is now COO of Innova Materials, which is commercializing Innlay and allowing product manufacturers to give the surfaces of their products various properties, ranging from antimicrobial to other advanced high-value enhancements like electrical conductivity. In just the last two months, the Philly-based company has not only earned a contract from the U.S. Army but was also selected as a “GoingGreenEast 50” Top Private Companies list, and as the “Company to Watch” by the Eastern Technology Council.

Keeping true to its roots, Innova Materials has a well-articulated social mission that is represented in its IonArmour technology that helps defend products against bacteria, mold and other microorganisms and eventually will target water-borne diseases and heavy metal contamination in water. Innova Materials wants to use IonArmour as a stepping stone to commercializing Innlay in other areas like solar energy, water purification, and thin-film batteries, which could revolutionize those markets.

“From a holistic standpoint I’d encourage everyone to create technologies with the framework of the developing world in mind,” says Srinivas. “It makes sense. You want to generate straightforward technologies that are low-cost and easy to adopt.”

Source: Arjun Srinivas, Innova Materials
Writer: Joe Petrucci