TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Kirigami photo-piezo catalysts for self-sustainable environment remediation

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Contract Opportunity

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its novel design of a photo-piezo catalyst component which takes advantage of a kirigami inspired substrate to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of the material.

Background:

Photocatalysts, which convert solar energy directly into chemical energy have played a pivotal role in various solar energy applications such as hydrogen production (water splitting), water or air purification, carbon dioxide removal, nitrogen fixation, and sterilization. However, the target efficiency of photocatalysts is yet to be achieved (solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency value of 10%), as required for practical applications. This is mainly due to limited charge separation and transfer kinetics, and many attempts have been made to overcome this problem. One potential solution is piezoelectricity-promoted photocatalysts, or photo-piezo catalysts, which potentially offer improved efficiency realized through the synergistic effects of the coupling between piezoelectric polarization and photoexcitation. Photo-piezo catalysts are particularly suitable for outdoor applications, where there is sunlight and mechanical motions such as waves, winds, and life vibrations.

Description:

LLNL researchers have introduced the use of a kirigami inspired substrate to act as a mechanical transducer, which converts macroscale stretching motion into localized bending. The performance of photo-piezocatalysts made with aligned arrays of photocatalytic nanomaterials on the kirigami shaped substrate yields significant enhancements (~250%) in the degradation of dyes.

Advantages/Benefits:

1. Kirigami substrate structure leads to a potentially significant enhancement up to 2.5x in photocatalytic efficiency.


2. Kirigami substrate compatible with existing photocatalytic materials.


3. Kirigami-substrate enhanced photo-piezo catalysts demonstrate feasibility in nature for self-sustainable environmental remediation which can be activated using motions of winds, waves, and life vibrations.

Potential Applications:

Outdoor water and air purification

Indoor AC ventilation purifier

Development Status:

Current stage of technology development: TRL 2

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Kirigami photo-piezo catalysts for self-sustainable environment remediation should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.


2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.


3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Kirigami photo-piezo catalysts for self-sustainable environment remediation.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA 94551-0808

Attention: IL-13895

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